If you came over from Encouragement for Today, I’m so glad you are here.

Sometimes life hits us with mountains that seem impossible to move. You are living life, doing all the things you know that are good, and then someone’s else’s choices knock you down.

In today’s devotional I shared the story of Claire, a real woman whose husband left her for someone else.

Her story isn’t unique in that sense, as unfaithfulness isn’t unique, but her story is one of healing and restoration and strength in that God began to move in from the moment she heard the words “I’m leaving”.

At first those words, “forgive” sounded more like God was taking her husband’s side. It made no sense to forgive something that she didn’t see coming, didn’t ask for, and that caused so much pain.

But God knew Claire. He knew her heart. He knew her desire was to love God and her family, but most of all to be a habitation for God’s richest blessings.

You see, God knows you just as well. By asking so soon to move in to the broken and raw places, He isasking to fill those gaps with His presence, because there are plenty of emotions that will want to move in, like hatred or revenge or bitterness or anger.

Your feelings are valid. For Claire, there were many times over the next several months that she hit those emotional roadblocks and she shut herself in with God and intentionally moved into a deeper walk with Him, placing anger in His hands.

Rather than a move of weakness, this was a powerful and strong move of a woman of faith who acknowledged that God had her future in His hands, and that the actions of someone else could not distract or destroy God’s plan for her.

Perhaps you are in that place today. Someone you loved has hurt you, and it’s bottomed out your world. It may seem crazy, but perhaps you’ve heard God whisper the same words, “forgive”.

That whisper is an invitation into an intentional relationship with Him as you leads you over that mountain, and through the hard places, teaching you, loving you, showing you that regardless of another person’s unfaithfulness, God and His plan for you remains always faithful.

So, what about today?

Ask God to move in

Open the door wide. He’s not afraid of your emotions or the raw places.

Listen

There are a lot of voices crowding in right now. Shut yourself in with God and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.

Slow down

Emotions can result in impulsive action. Let God be your “pause” in the situation. Soak in His presence before you react or respond. Again, this is a safe place to be you. To be honest.

Open Your Hands

Maybe forgiving seems impossible at this time. That thought says that you believe that forgiving is totally your responsibility, an act of will. What if forgiving was less about action and more about surrender?

Lord, I offer up this pain.

Lord, I can’t forgive on my own, but I’m willing to begin the process with your help.

I surrender my anger, my hurt, my life to You, knowing that You know me well. You know the plans for me. You know where You are leading me, regardless of whether anyone else follows.

Rest

Upheaval is exhausting. Christ promises us that He will be our rest. That’s your place of peace. The place where you’ll heal. Where answers will come. Where eventually strength will help you find your way into wholeness.

 Forgiving is powerful. It’s something that mattered to God, because it transforms us, frees us, but can we be honest? It’s one of the hardest journeys that we take. Discover what it means to forgive (it might surprise you how many diverse meanings there are for this one word), how to let go, and how to gain healing and freedom in the process.

Today I’ll choose two from today’s conversation to win my new book, The Unburdened Heart: Finding Freedom Through Forgiveness.