When we fight cancer, we have enough to navigate physically and emotionally without adding the stress of unforgiveness. After all, Ephesians tells us unforgiveness gives the devil a "foothold" in our lives, a military term for a base of operations of an enemy in our own territory. I realized the self-inflicted pain of unforgiveness could be as devastating to my soul as the cancer was to my body.
They say time heals a broken heart, yet why do some people never seem to recover? Some cling to brokenness as they consciously or unconsciously believe it serves a purpose. Others doubt healing is possible, even by the Lord. Yet…
– Joe Fornear One thing we know, the Lord certainly allows pain and heartache in our lives. In the Bible, the most beloved ones seemed to have had the hardest journeys. The Who’s Who of the Bible’s heroes turns out…
Step 8 gives me a chance to list those I have hurt and become willing or courageous to “love” them - whether they receive it or not. This step opens the door for me to see the pain I’ve caused others and set me free from making my pain master over my feelings and thoughts about myself.
So considering the ways of The Great Charter of Courses, I wonder if we spend too much time trying to change our journey and not enough time mastering its challenges. Don’t get me wrong, I think we should diligently and boldly seek course change – be it physical healing or deliverance from a rough situation. Even Jesus sought a Plan B route before His crucifixion in the Garden of Gethsemane! Yet there is a stumbling block in forgetting to move forward while we wait for circumstantial change.
So how does a caretaker handle an impossible load? The answer must be to tap into the supernatural. Human love has its limits. Divine love does not. He wants to give us His love to flow through us to others. Just ask and keep asking -- moment by moment.
Interestingly, before God restores Job’s health, family and fortunes, He asks him to pray for the well-being of his friends, releasing them from the scars they inflicted. After all, the Lord did not want Job’s nightmare to continue. Whether real or imagined, revenge only breeds more pain. So don’t release the Kraken… on yourself!
– By Joe Fornear While fighting cancer, caretaking, or just navigating everyday hurts, one attitude will bring more pain and sadness into our lives than any other – resentment. I know this from years of pastoring; counseling patients, caretakers and…