Sober since April 6, 2006

That's
days

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Overcoming Hurt

I got up this morning, and walked through the living room to get to the coffee maker. (There is no life before coffee, lmao!)

The TV was on, and a preacher was just starting a sermon. For some reason, something about the first few words caught my attention. So for the first time in years, I actually sat down and watched a sermon (OMG! *checks for a fever!)

The topic of the sermon is "Overcoming Hurt", and it's given by Creflo Dollar. This dude has some good ideas about how our reactions can make things WORSE. He's lighthearted and funny about it at times but kind of spacey at other times (especially when talking about "The Shield of Faith" and "The Word"). But overall, I saw myself in this message.

(The sermon itself is available in streaming video here: http://www.streamingfaith.com/ASX_Files/December_28,_2005_-_Overcoming_Hurt_Part_2_VOD_100k.asx )

I see now that I've been doing everything WRONG. I couldn't be MORE wrong if I TRIED!

Over the past few weeks:

  • I have tried to avoid getting hurt by hurting others first;
  • I've hardened my heart and become a prisoner of my own pain;
  • I decided not to trust anyone anymore, and become cynical;
  • I've neglected to remember my faith (ie: dropped the "Shield");
  • I've compared myself to others, and belittled the miracles that God has already worked in my life;
  • I haven't forgiven FREELY as an act of faith. I've been waiting to forgive until I "feel like it". But "Forgiveness is not a feeling -- it is a decision." And I haven't made that decision because I must be waiting for something (what, I don't know). But God doesn't wait for us to change. He doesn't forgive us because we try to change ourselves for Him. Instead, we experience change in our lives when we reach the amazing realization that we already are forgiven and loved just as we are. As God forgives and loves us without expecting us to EARN it, we are supposed to do the same for each other. I need to work on this ...
  • My happiness has been dependent on the actions of other people;
  • I keep re-living the problem, and never letting it heal. I won't shut up about it ... (OMG this part of the sermon was so ME )

And I'm sure there are many, many other things I have done wrong as well. But all I can do from here is press on, don't make the same mistakes, and FFS get over it already!

That's it for now.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi,
I just wanted to say continue to stay encouraged and walk in victory. I was online looking for sermons about healing and deliverance b/c i know i really need it to get past what i am dealing with right now. its like just when you think you're done with something and you're cool, something pops back up and i'm like God I thought that was gone. I'm learning that I have to take it day by day, one cleansing after another. There is always something we're going to have to overcome, but the awsome thing is knowing that because Christ Died and his blood was shed, we don't have to suffer the full consequences (eternal hurt, addition, feeling guilty, afraid, insecure, etc) for our sins, because He did that for us. Grasping and understanding that can be challenging. any how, your page came up and now i'm trying to view this sermon to at least get started on the healing process.