Not understanding why
As we begin to peel away our layers of wounds, I ask God to touch those that are hurting and don't understand why. Because our culture is so ingrained with needing answers to everything, we instinctively want to know "Why". Why did we get hurt? Why do these types of things always happen to me? As a person who loves God, why did I get hurt in this situation? As much as I want to give a generic answer as to why we must experience pain, I confess that I do not have the answer. I do know, however, that our pain shapes us into who we are. And we can choose to be bitter and resentful about the experience, or we can choose to be loving and forgiving after the experience. Bitterness always breeds sorrow and hate, but forgiveness always breeds love and joy. It is our desire for love and joy that can motivate us to seek our healing. So, although we may not know why the wound is there, accepting the pain and focusing on our healing, by forgiving, is how we can use our experience as an opportunity to grow.