What a Smack in the Face

Ok, so yesterday I was letting out my dogs.  You have to understand my dogs. One can be trusted, the other two cannot.  They will run away at any given chance, and even though they are old and fat, when they set their mind to it they can outrun me.  I was trying to let them out into the kennel and they started to get away from me.  I bent down to grab their collars and the screen door smacked me in the face.  Hard.  I thought for sure I was going to have a nice big black eye from it.  Seeing a few stars, I still needed to get my hand on the dogs.  My sweater got caught on the door hardware.  I couldn’t move any further, with my face still stinging I grabbed one poor dog by the tail to keep him from taking off.  In all the excitement they decided to stick around.  I got myself unsnagged, put the dogs safely in the kennel and went back inside to put ice on my face.

This morning, the side of my face is still sore and tender, it hurts every time I blink. But there is no black eye, no bruise, not even a little mark.  Just because you can’t see it , doesn’t mean there is no pain.

Many of us are going through life this way.  There is a hurt inside you, and even though no one else can see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. With every thought, every breath, every blink, you feel the sting.  Most likely, it is the result of someone’s careless words or cruel actions.  And I am almost certain you have carried this pain with you for years. Every time you replay the memory or allow the words to echo in your head you are hurt again and again and again.

Well, my friend it is time to let it go.

A wise pastor once told me “You are a chosen vessel to be used by God in the days to come…Forgive and forget the hurt and ill feelings others have done to you, and then only God can use you more effectively.  Because you are a special child of God.”

Whatever it is that you have been holding on to, let it go.  Let it go, forgive, move on and cling to the One who can heal all wounds.