I’ve talked to several people this week who have been unexpectedly hurt in a significant relationship. Expectations weren’t met. Feelings of being wounded, of being betrayed, crept in and oozed through their veins – hard to shake. It can be challenging to work through – sadness, anger, resentment, and equally as difficult, just overall feeling vulnerable in relationships with others. It happens to all of us because we’re all human and flawed – sometimes we’re the recipient and sometimes we’re the cause. At these times it is valuable to draw from our support system for an extra measure of comfort and affirmation. To address the issues-if it is timely and appropriate-and to seek forgiveness where we’ve been wrong is critical (even if we don’t feel like it). Taking care of business puts us back in control in a good way. Then we have to choose to move forward and put the negative event behind us. The good news is that God promises to use everything for our good and if we let Him, He will. Although painful, these experiences are valuable. You’ll probably find more gray hair though.
Amy Wildman White 