Coping with Depression . . . Embracing Forgiveness

There are some hurts, that are unchangeable, sometimes because of a permanent loss, or sometimes because of a hard-hearted individual, whose decisions, right or wrong are implacable. Disruptions in our lives happen, it is a fact of life, and they often hurt and hurt badly. If it happened to the apostle who penned most of the New Testament, what possible hope do we have as church goers. Paul and Barnabas became so combative over a young John Mark, who evidently was not ready for a front row seat at the persecution of an apostle, that they decided to go different directions. Barnabas, rather than have this young man spoken of as unfit for the service of the Lord, chose to go with him, instead of stay with the apostle.

The passage of time shows us that even Paul’s heart eventually softened toward John Mark, saying that he was profitable to him in the ministry. Do you think that there were hurt feelings during the exchange that prompted these two to split? For whatever the exchange was between them, I don’t think that it is much of a stretch, to think that Barnabas was most concerned with what would happen to that young man, had he agreed with Paul and walked away from him. Here’s the saddest part of this story to me, we never read of a reunion between Paul and Barnabas. Don’t you think that when Paul said, “send me John Mark . . .” that much of what he longed for was the time that he had missed with Barnabas, his friend?

Listen, before you spend weeks or months of your life vacillating between reliving the hurt and the anger you feel toward the person that hurt you: you need to adopt a forgiving spirit. You may have every reason to take someone apart limb by limb; but dear heart, that is not what love says. Love says, I can hold nothing against you, because Christ held nothing against me. And, you can’t take hold of forgiveness, until you let go of the hurt. You will never find the freedom that Christ gives, and you won't get all that God has for you until you do forgive. Loved ones, I can’t promise you much, but I can tell you that when you let go and forgive, Christ’s love will flood your heart and you can see beyond the one that hurt you, to the one who needs Christ’s love. Bless you all.