Today’s Reflection
FORGIVENESS STARTS with refusing to rehearse the hurt continually. …
One way to stop rehashing an offense is to substitute prayer for negative thoughts. Such prayer embodies ancient Christian wisdom about how our inner world gets distorted and about how to straighten it out. We find these brief prayers in many places: favorite hymns, biblical passages, treasured saying, or names for God. They can be very simple: “God, help me.” “God, fill me with your love.” “Spirit of Jesus, free me.”
If no prayers of your own occur to you, try breathing in and out as you speak these phrases from the Psalms:
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love.” (Psalm 51:1)
“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
“Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
Prayers like these turn our attention away from the hurt and the offending family member. They bring about inner stillness, replacing negative thinking with hopeful words of faith. They draw us toward God’s perspective and remind us that we need God’s help to stop clinging to injuries.
– Kathleen Fischer
Forgiving Your Family
From pages 57-58 of Forgiving Your Family: A Journey to Healing by Kathleen Fischer. Copyright © 2005 by Kathleen Fischer. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
Is there hurt in you that needs prayer to heal? Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.
Mark 6:30, NRSV
This Week: pray for the peace of Christ. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Dorothea Dix (July 18).
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Sponsored by Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2018 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA
9 Comments
Learning of the passing of my wife’s Uncle Jack today brings back memories that trouble me. He told me some time before the wedding that no one would object if I decided not to marry her. Much later when my wife passed away, Uncle Jack’s wife, Auntie Mija, out of her grief asked me, “Why did you let her die?” Since that time contact has been difficult and very infrequent. Just when I think I have forgiven them, something comes up that makes me wonder.
Thankful for the events in my life that Uncle Jack helped make happen. I can’t deny them. Found my wife and children’s mother, became an army officer, and had a 25 year army career from which I still benefit. May Uncle Jack be at peace with the Lord.
Prayers for Gloria, Larry, Becky and Jill through this stretch of valley. Thankful that support of many kinds is present and working to help everyone.
The needs are not all the same. God’s love can cover all th needs. Thank You, Lord.
Thankful for a meal I have not enjoyed in a long time, cooked rice in warm water, kimchi (red pepper spiced pickled Asian cabbage), and boiled hot dogs. Long ago in Korea it started and has been kept long after my wife passed away.
Prayers for Marcy, her migraines, breathing, heart, and well being. Thankful for her faithful personalized spirit filled prayers to the UR family. Prayers too for Julie, her hands, finger, foot, upcoming surgery, and a peaceful transition from current living conditions. May there be a job that fits her daughter soon.
Thankful for help and progress with the steam locomotive model. This is very new territory for me, translating directions from German to English, obtaining parts needed from Germany, learning new metal working skills, and discovering ways to make the model be a reality. Thank You, Lord. Thanks too for wonderful weather, nice walks, and food from the garden.
Church tomorrow, that too is a blessing.
Prayers for all of you, dear UR family, that you too have God’s help with forgiving. Peace and blessings!
Robert – I am sorry for your loss and the thoughts and memories that come along with it. May God be with you and comfort you in this time.
For me, it is so important to recognize when I am permitting my thoughts to go where they should not, to linger on the negativity or the seemingly impossibility of a situation. But, my God is greater. The Spirit within must be leaned into, to correct thoughts, to move to thanksgiving, to rest in peace that is present. Upon recognition, I have a choice – and at that point I choose to either glorify Him, or let Satan have his run.
Father, thank You for Your ever-present-ness. Pure gift. And the peace that passeth understanding.
Prayers for the UR family as we begin the weekend.
I can more easily forgive things that hurt me, but when that action hurts people I love it is much harder. However, I feel I have forgiven past hurts.
God knows my heart and He will be the judge.
The wind blew down a bird house and when I went out to put it back up, a bird was sitting on another branch chirping the whole time! His eye is on the sparrow and that sparrow’s eye was on me!
Bless you, my friends.
Forgiveness does not come easily for me for only one person- for others I feel like I am quite a forgiving person who feels deeply but then is quick to give and second and third and fourth chance…but the pain of the loss of my marriage and the fact that I trusted so much and gave everything I had and believed in a life long commitment makes this forgiveness so hard – I know I’ve said it before but I still wake up some days and think – how did this happen. I pray for my heart to be healed and I pray that one day I will be able to forgive and let go- but it has changed who I am.
Prayers for you Robert – for the multiple losses and all that you are reminded of. My grandfather told me the day that I got married that it wasn’t too late to change my mind…that is a sad thing to remember – my family didn’t approve initially of my marriage because of cultural differences but they soon came to embrace him and love him like I did. I am sorry for the painful memories for you Robert.
Prayers for you Jill and for your family-
What a blessing the bird was for you Connie- His eye is most definitely on each one of us – this is what I have to trust in and believe. It’s the one thing that keeps me going each day-
Prayers for all of those affected by the storms – especially the family lost in the boat accident –
It’s a blustery morning in Chicago- thankful my basement repairs have kept things dry.
Prayers for all who come here today looking for peace.
It takes time, but your heart will heal. You are the same person you always were and that is good. Love to you and yours.
I’ve missed you terribly, my Loving UR siblings and friends! I’ve been reading every day, praying for each of you, by name, and lifting you up in prayer. I’m on Day 5 of awful migraine, making reading difficult and painful, typing impossible and and am powering through today, to touch base with you. I wouldn’t be able to endure this without God and am forever thankful to Him for His steadfast Love. I’m praying for Julie as I haven’t seen a post from her for a few days. Robert, I am sorry for your loss and am praying for you. Thank you for your prayers for me this week; I lean on prayers and cling to God. Jill, you and your family remain in my prayers. Lou, I also went through a long haul and eventually forgave my “husband.” I’m still working on the issues, though. Need to get back to counseling. Connie, I find I’ve had a harder time forgiving myself for things in my past. I know God has forgiven me. This should be the end of it, but it’s tied up in knots with trauma. Again, need to get back to counseling. Praying for Andrea, Mary, Gail, Betsy, Grace, Pamela, April, Francesca, Chloe and Paige, Carol and Robin, Rusty and K and all who come here to the UR Reflections.
Sending Love and praying God’s heavenly blessings to you all!
And these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is LOVE!
Marcy, so glad to hear from you. May yoube filled with God’s love, peace and joy!
Blessings!
Grateful that God has blessed me with a forgiving heart. However, if the person has hurt me, i will be more careful and stay away from this toxic person.
Blessjngs to all and have a great weekend!
Yes, toxicity is not good for the soul. You are wise.
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