Thursday, February 17, 2022

Dear God,

I feel a shifting going on.  For an ever-increasing time I have found myself growing more and more angry about injustices in my family, in the nation and in the world.  Daily I keep myself undone by keeping the injustices alive in my mind.  I retell the story to myself, thus scraping the wounds to make the pain continue.  Why in the world?

But a shifting is quietly, slowly taking place.  Yesterday I wished one of the perpetrator's a happy birthday and to another I wrote a nice note.  I felt good about both.  I realized afterwards that this shift was taking place.

One thing I have come to realize is that you do not want us to stay in bitter, painful places.  You want us to give you our hurts, sorrows and bitterness so you can heal them.  You want us to overcome the past, to let it go and do what we can to change ourselves.  One of the reasons our nation is so angry is because we keep ourselves that way by telling and retelling the story over and over again.  How will we ever heal with thoughts, beliefs and practices a sorry display of self-pity, judgement and one-upmanship?  Why not receive the grace, help, comfort, hope and peace you offer?

Gracious God,

I am

such a sinner.

While sin

is still sin,

grace can

help us

overcome whatever

troubles us.

Forgiveness is

always better.

Please help me

make a

complete shift,

I pray.

Love, Andrea