forgiving mistakes

trying to take some of my own advice today.

a couple of days ago, i heard a sermon on perspective, and i jotted down some notes and personal applications.

don't take everyone so personally, including myself. sometimes we say and do hurtful things to other people, and it's not because of anything they have done. it's because of what's wrong or what's missing in our own lives. people make mistakes. sometimes, they make them intentionally. but either way, mistakes are made.

i have worked really hard to forgive and heal this past year. it hasn't been easy. and i'm not "there" yet, but i have really come a long way.

when someone hurts us, it's easy to demonize them. but rather than do that, i've been trying to tell myself that hurting people hurt people. when someone attacks me personally, it's not always because i did something to deserve it. sometimes it's because they are hurting on the inside or they feel they are lacking something. we tend to lash out at others rather than deal with the junk in our lives. it seems easier at the time. in the long run, however, it just adds to our problems.

so today, i'm faced with a situation that requires forgiveness and understanding. i'd like to share a facebook status i read a few days ago. the young lady who wrote it has no idea how GOD has used her and her comment, but i do.

"i don't forgive people because i'm weak. i forgive people because i'm strong enough to know people make mistakes."

i hope i can follow through on that. i hope i'm being strong today.