“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”- Hebrews 12:15
As Sara Horn concludes Chapter 3 of How Can I Possibly Forgive?, she notes that Abraham had a heart change in his relationship with Lot. Previously, when in Egypt, Abraham had lied to Pharaoh about Sarah being his sister- when in fact she was his wife. Yet in the problems he faced with Lot, Abraham chose generosity and selflessness. He trusted God to take care of him.
Sara emphasizes that it is only when we listen to God’s voice that we’ll find relief from the things that hold us back from forgiving or giving. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we must be willing to trust God enough to surrender our will to His.
Sara tells the story of a friend who prayed for the opportunity to be a mom. Eventually the friend and her husband adopted a little boy from Russia. They eagerly anticipated all the normal childhood milestones. Then the little boy was diagnosed with a severe form of autism, and the parents realized those dreams were not to be. Their desires got traded for God’s desires. Big hurts- bigger God. Sara concludes:
“But God is bigger than those hurts, and stronger, and able to take your hurt and do something beautiful with it. He heals.”
Today’s question: How have you been intentional in giving over your hurts to God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Letting go of bitterness”