What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger

     Justin Kirk and I along with 6 others are set to ride a 5-day bicycle ride from
Pittsburgh PA to Harper’s Ferry WV starting tomorrow. I would like to think the
old saying is still true: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. And yet,
sometimes we might think it’d be easier to be dead! For instance in my
preparations for the trip I began a regimen of strict eating and exercise. I was told
by a friend of mind that the word “diet” is only one letter short of “die”! There’s a
lot of things we do in this life that challenge us to our core. One of them is being
willing to forgive someone who’s wronged us. The deeper the hurt, the greater the
challenge. And yet, it’s not impossible! You see, when we leave God in charge of
cleaning up the messes other people make it allows us the freedom to heal. We
don’t have to concern ourselves with whether or not we’ll be vindicated for wrongs
inflicted on us. It’s a done deal! God knows all, sees all and judges all
(righteously). I realize that it’s hard for us to sometimes release a hurt that someone
else has inflicted. Remind yourself when you’ve been hurt: God is the judge and
you are not. When we refuse to forgive, we remove God off the throne and try to
take His place. It’s as if we don’t trust Him enough to make things as they need to
be. Remember, God is a righteous judge and justice will prevail. Remember the
text we used last week: Romans 12: 19-21 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but
leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is
thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals
on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” It’s hard
to relinquish control, but as I told a buddy of mine on one of our trail rides: “If it
were easy everybody would do it.” Forgiveness is hard! There’s no way we can
free someone from the wrongs inflicted upon us if we choose to harbor bitterness
while seeking revenge. Let God handle it. He’ll do a far better job than any of us
ever could.
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Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you!

-Kevin