We are in a time when everyone is unsettled. Some doors closed, that were disappointing, and other doors opened that you were not looking for. Waiting for God to open the right doors has been painful and revealed our faith level of trust in God. We don’t want to be like King Saul who was instructed to wait for Samuel the prophet. God allowed Samuel to arrive late because it revealed King Saul’s heart. Because of Saul’s fear of man, he went ahead of God’s plan and did a sacrifice that was not legal for kings. When Samuel arrived, he had to confront King Saul doing an act beyond his authority. This sacrifice lost King Saul his kingdom.
During times of change, people, churches, or organizations who were a catalyst in the past may not go with you in the future. Maybe they are called to a different path or unable to go further with their gifting level. In new seasons of opportunity, old paths can become irrelevant. Shifting positions require different authority and giftings levels.
What Lens Are You Looking Through?
God uses these times of change and pressure in our lives to reveals cracks in our foundation. You can choose to go through the repair process of repentance, forgiveness and removal of the trauma which creates healing and restoration in your life. Some people will retreat to the comfort of the familiar paths and live with the brokenness as part of their identity. This causes many people to view life through a lens of survival. It is good to survive but not when that becomes your identity. Surviving is looking at the past traumas and seeing the scars. It can cause us to view life through the lens of fear of the future, which limits God’s resources in life.
God’s Kingdom people view life through the lens of a Big God who works all things for our good. They realize that God has given people a free will to choose how to live. That is why you see hurt people hurt others. It can create a cycle of repeated hurts that stop God’s best for your life, or you can follow God’s word and use these wounds to create a path to a higher level in God. Kingdom people know that God loves them and they are God’s kids.
A Slap in the Face! — The Process of Overcoming!
A slap in the face is what the Bible describes as Turning the Other Cheek! My tendency in the past was when someone hurt me, I wanted to hurt them. I knew it wasn’t right to do that, so I asked God to show me how to react to painful situations.
Holy Spirit revealed a hidden truth about “Turning the Other Cheek.” My flesh wanted to slap them back! Then Holy Spirit showed me the power of releasing God’s love into the situation, I had grace to love those who hurt me.
A man named, Stephen, preached God’s truth and it stirred up angry in the religious crowd. They were so enraged, they stoned Stephen to death. During the stoning, a man name Saul was holding the coats of those stoning Stephen. Stephen’s death released a spirit of persecution on the Christians church. Stephen, while being stoned, forgave those stoning him.
At first glance, this doesn’t look like turning the other cheek produced anything but trouble. God used the persecution to move Christians out of Jerusalem into other countries. The gospel of Jesus was spreading to other nations. Saul was then used to hunt down Christians. But God saw Saul’s heart that he loved God but was entangled with a religious spirit. Because Stephen forgave his enemies, this sacrifice of love allowed God to touch Saul’s heart and turn him into Paul the apostle. Paul was used to being salvation to many nations and wrote write many of the New Testament books of the Bible. Now that is redemption!
The Power of Redemption!
Redemption means stopping the traps setup by satan to keep us in the cycle of unforgiveness, blame, failure, or anger. Our hearts cry out for justice, but the world’s systems entangle us with unending laws that are played on an unfair game board that cycles us into defeat. When we choose to forgive that person or refuse to play their games it opens the door for God to take over the situation. When we let go of our desires for the situation it allows God to come in and change people’s hearts. That is when we see Saul turn into Paul. God takes the persecution and moves us into higher places of authority. It stocks up your rewards in heaven!
Here is an example of how the power of love can calm the storms of life. I was in a store buying a present for a friend. As I was walking into the store, I heard a man behind me ranting on his phone to someone about suing them. I just went about my business.
As I was in the long checkout line, this man was yelling at the clerk as she was trying to ring up his purchases. I guess the clerk had asked him to step back to where the line was formed. This made this man mad. You could see this man had identity issues and wanted to spread his hurts and anger to others. I started praying quietly. When the clerk tried to find the barcode on the heavy items, the cart tipped over. This angry man started yelling at her and saying she deserved this for being rude to him about staying in line. My heart wanted to go help her lift these heavy items in the cart, but an older couple was blocking the area so no one would jump the line. I could tell Holy Spirit wasn’t nudging me to go help, so I waited and prayed. I talked to a few other people in line smiling at everyone. Then the cart tipped over again. This poor clerk was struggling. Then the older couple in front of me started yelling at the man. The angry man started attacking them and he threaten them. Then another lady at the back of the line started yelling. The manager came out and told the man to leave, by then the purchase was complete.
You could feel the tension in the room. I knew that stepping in would just cause that anger to become greater. I just held that line by praying softly so violence wouldn’t erupt. As I was checking out, I thanked the clerk for her patience and said, “I am so sorry this happened to you.” Then as I was going out the door, I turned and lifted my hand and said, “Have a good day!” The line of people erupted in laughter. The whole atmosphere changed and the tension left. Later, I prayed for that anger man to be healed of the trauma that has opened the door to anger and hate.
How to Redeem Trauma!
How do you get to the place of reaping the benefits of forgiveness? This is accomplished by going to God, our Father, and asking him to heal you from the traumas. When you turn these hurts over to God, he will release healing and provide steps to move beyond the limits of wounded places. On that path of healing are rewards for passing the test of forgiveness. This allows God’s blessing with new opportunities to grow and become stronger.
When we place our hurts and injustices in God’s hands, it removes our responsibility to change people. It opens the door for God’s love to touch the people who have touched you with hurt and pain. It allows God to right the injustices. It may not be through the avenue you desire but God can use many other ways to paid back for those injustices.
Prayer
Father God,
Help! I have many hurts and traumas from these past seasons. Many injustices have happened in my life that have robbed me. I am choosing to walk in forgiveness, but I need your grace provided by Holy Spirit. Reveal the wrong mindsets that have entangled me to play on the wrong game board. I ask for healing and redemptions for all these hurts and injustices. Teach me how to walk in your grace and victory. Jesus I am choosing to follow you to a new life of redemption, peace, and victory.
Scriptures
1 Samuel 13:8-14, Deuteronomy 30:19, Romans 12:1, Romans 8:28, Matthew 5:38-48, Acts 17, Acts 8:3, Matthew 5:10-12, and John 10:10.
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