Joy Robber
I read a story in Chicken Soup for the Christian Woman's Soul today by Karen O'Connor. She noted that she was haunted by the face of the woman who had broken up her marriage, then later married her husband. She was losing sleep and losing her health. She blamed herself and was full of resentment, guilt and anger all of which drained her.
Eventually after trying a multitude of venues; she went to a seminar at a church on the healing power of forgiveness. She was asked to picture the person she could not forgive, then consider whether she was willing to forgive that person. Although her body and mind were repulsed by the idea, she knew her life depended on it.
She writes, "Then a voice within gently asked, "Are you ready to let go of this? To release her? To forgive yourself, too?...Yes, I was willing. I couldn't hold on to my anger any longer. It was killing me. In that moment, an incredible shift occurred within me. I simply let go...I completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit...I let go of the rage and resentment--just like that."
She noted the energy and freedom that came in the moment of giving all of her concerns over to God. O'Conner sent a letter to the woman apologizing for the feelings she had for her and the woman called and apologized. She ended by saying, "I realized that as nice as it was to hear her words of apology, they didn't really matter. They paled in comparison to what God was teaching me. Buried deep in the trauma of my divorce was the truth I had been looking for all my life without even know it. No one can hurt me as long as I am in God's hands. Unless I allow it, no one can rob me of my joy." KT
Eventually after trying a multitude of venues; she went to a seminar at a church on the healing power of forgiveness. She was asked to picture the person she could not forgive, then consider whether she was willing to forgive that person. Although her body and mind were repulsed by the idea, she knew her life depended on it.
She writes, "Then a voice within gently asked, "Are you ready to let go of this? To release her? To forgive yourself, too?...Yes, I was willing. I couldn't hold on to my anger any longer. It was killing me. In that moment, an incredible shift occurred within me. I simply let go...I completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit...I let go of the rage and resentment--just like that."
She noted the energy and freedom that came in the moment of giving all of her concerns over to God. O'Conner sent a letter to the woman apologizing for the feelings she had for her and the woman called and apologized. She ended by saying, "I realized that as nice as it was to hear her words of apology, they didn't really matter. They paled in comparison to what God was teaching me. Buried deep in the trauma of my divorce was the truth I had been looking for all my life without even know it. No one can hurt me as long as I am in God's hands. Unless I allow it, no one can rob me of my joy." KT
Food carved to imitate joyful animals on our recent cruise through the Panama Canal.
I Thessalonians 1:6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
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