~Healing from the Past~

Healing from past hurts take courage, tenacity and time. People who deal with the temptation to keep others at arms' length are usually exercising a heightened response of self-preservation. Any number of situations, including parents' divorce in childhood, sexual abuse, infidelity or a break-up in a relationship can cause this reflex. After someone deeply wounds us, it's normal to feel like shutting down so that no one can hurt us again.
However, if we indulge this natural response and develop a habit of putting up walls, we never move past our pain.
Following Jesus Christ as our model for living means we must loosen the hold our pain has on us and truly engage with other people. And that involves risk-enormous risks for people from painful situations.

Are you willing to take that risk? Remember....

● Forgiving someone else doesn't make what he or she did to you OK.
It helps to make you OK.

● Holding on to yesterday's hurts affects today's potential relationships.
Will you allow those who hurt you in the past to continue influencing your future?  

● Others need you. You may be withholding love and encouragement from friends who really need you to let them in-for their sake.
1 Peter 4:8-10
8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

● Every relationship has the potential for both blessing and pain. Consider how Judas, part of the inner circle, betrayed Jesus. But the other 11 remained faithful friends to him.
-True Identity Bible



~Genesis 2:18~
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

~Proverbs 17:17~
A friend is always loyal,
and a brother is born to help in time of need.

~Proverbs 27:6~
Wounds from a sincere friend
are better than many kisses from an enemy.

~Ecclesiastes 4:9~
Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.