How to Find Happiness When You’ve Been Hurt by Someone You Trust

We don’t live very long before someone hurts us do we?  From the school yard bully to our first girlfriend or boyfriend we wise up pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, that’s mild compared to the hurts inflicted by those we trust.

An abusive parent, an unfaithful spouse, an unethical business partner, an undermining friend all have the power to inflict real damage.

It can leave us seething with anger and wanting revenge.  Yet, that continues to inflict even more damage.

We’ve been told to forgive and forget, but how?

I love the words of Joseph when he meets years later his brothers who sold him into slavery.

He said, “You intended it for evil, but God intended it for good.”

Wow!   What a perspective.

See Joseph didn’t excuse his brothers’ evil and hurtful behavior.

Instead he looked through the cloud of hurt at the good God intended.

Remember, the evil someone works against you isn’t the last word.  God has the last word.

So when you’ve been hurt instead of focusing on the evil look through eyes of faith to the good God intends.

Then you’ll see clearly the blessing as the memory of the hurt grows dim.  And you’ll be able to forgive and forget because God has turned your hurt into healing.

*Genesis 50:20