"... am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."Genesis 50:19-20
Every Awestruck Heart picks up a few wounds and scars throughout life. Some—like you, Old Friend—have accumulated quite a collection. Welcome to Yosef’s world!
But whether the wounds and scars affecting an Awestruck Heart are many or few, mild or severe, they all share one truth—some human being inflicted every one of them.
Many of these wounds and scars, if we are honest, were self-inflicted. We acted impulsively, reacted childishly, approached situations carelessly, valued the wrong things, sought approval from the wrong faces. We talked too much. We didn’t talk enough. We controlled when we should have encouraged. We held on too tightly, for too long, and in the wrong way.
Other wounds were given to us—by parents, siblings, teachers, peers, and later, by friends, enemies, bosses, leaders, spouses, children, and strangers. The list could go on forever.
What Are We to Do About These Wounds and Scars?
The King is Coming! He deserves from us—and we long to give Him—an Awestruck Heart that is pure, clean, and free from offense and anger. A heart unrestricted in its ability to lavish love upon Him, without the weight of open wounds or residual scar tissue.
So what is the cure for our heart trouble? You already know the answer, Old Friend.
Forgive.
Forgive lavishly, outrageously, unreservedly, and undeservedly.
Forget about who was right and who was wrong. It does not matter. Forget about who started it. Who cares? Forget about whether they fought fair or cheated. What difference does it make? Forget how bad it hurt. That was then—this is now.
Regardless of what happened, you survived—and a redemptive God is bringing good out of it. Whatever the intention, He is in charge of the results.
Prayer:
O Good and All-Wise King, come and heal all my wounds and scars. Take my tears as Your trophies and my Awestruck Heart as Your prize.
22nd Awestruck Heart Challenge:
To let go—fully, finally, and forever—of every hurt or offense hindering us from loving the King and abandoning ourselves to His will.
22nd Awestruck Heart Exercises:
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Read:
- 1 Samuel 24:1-22
- 2 Samuel 16:5-12
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Reflect:
- Consider the people you have hurt or wounded in your life. How often have you acted selfishly or childishly to another’s hurt? Have your words ever been cutting, sarcastic, or accusatory? Are you truly more righteous than those who have wounded you? Does dwelling on past wounds serve you, or is it time to focus on your future and destiny?
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Meditate on these scriptures:
- Matthew 6:12-15
- Matthew 18:21-35
- Luke 23:33-34
- Acts 7:59-60
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Tell the King:
Worthy King!
My heart is burdened with many wounds and scars from past experiences and offenses. But I desire to love You as You deserve and to serve You wholeheartedly.
I choose to forgive all who have wounded me. I do so now.
I ask You to bless them—each one—with everything their soul and body need. Do not hold any of their sins against them because of me.
And I choose, right now, to forgive myself as well.
Would You heal and enlarge my heart, that I may love You with all the capacity You created me to have—and to love others, including those I once saw as enemies, just as You love them?
Final Thoughts:
Forgiveness is not about denying the reality of pain or pretending that wounds do not exist. It is about choosing to release the weight of bitterness and offense so that we may walk in freedom before our King. We do not forgive because others deserve it—we forgive because God has first forgiven us.
As you take today's challenge to forgive fully, finally, and forever, remember that your healing is in His hands. Trust Him to mend what was broken and to turn all things for your good.
The King is coming—let nothing hinder your heart from being wholly His.