No more broken hearts OK. I thought my heart was healed from past hurts, disappointments and betrayals too. I thought I dealt with this years ago while undergoing ministry training in the area that Holy Spirit uses me to reach out and help others. I guess I was wrong and boy have I been diligent on closing these doors of past hurts in my life through this book and viewing the DVD also. The book's title, "Healing The Heart" by Joan Hunter. It is interesting to note that on the cover of the book it also states, "overcoming betrayal in your life." The DVD that was instrumental in helping me recover from those past hurts (and even some of them have been more recent in my life too) is titled, "Can I Truly Forgive?"
I believe that at one point or another in a persons life there has been some sort of betrayal. Do you agree? It could be something as simple as telling a friend you will be their best friend forever and then one of you lets the other down and you no longer adhere to that promise you made to each other. As life goes on it may be the betrayal of a spouse, pastor, teacher, employer, or even a church (this list I share is not a complete list, there may be others in your life that you will add to the list.) Yes, I did include a church. From time to time I hear from others that their greatest hurts and betrayal have come from a church or church people so to speak. People that confess Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Maybe you may need to forgive a doctor in your life that gave you the news of a bad medical report. I cannot answer those questions for you only you can be the one to seek that out. Remember, those you are forgiving can be of the past or even current.
Are you willing to cut that hurt free from your heart and move on in life and the destiny God has called forth in your very life? I was and did and I am still in the process of healing this heart that can only be mended by God through Holy Spirit with the love of Jesus Christ. I accepted the opportunity to heal my heart and to set those that hurt me free from that hurt and ask God to bless them in the process. I have also asked God to forgive me of any wrong doing to others in which I may have hurt their heart and to subsequently bless me for asking to be released of the hurt and pain I may have caused others. Let me tell you that this book is so freeing to me and I am most thankful that Holy Spirit gives insight to individuals and then they teach this to others so they will in turn be set free.
As I began to read this book I was curious to see what the DVD had to teach so I took a break and viewed the DVD. WOW, the only words to describe what I learned in this DVD. I right then and their tried to take notes and paused the DVD a few times to capture the words used in the exercise to forgive others. As I was trying to take notes something reminded me the exercise I was trying to learn was actually in the book. So, of course, my curiosity caused me to search ahead in the book to find this and BINGO I found it. That is when Holy Spirit began to work on my heart. It was not just a one time process and boom it was done, it is still a work in progress. Just when you think you forgave everyone or every organization Holy Spirit prompts you to forgive someone else or another group or people or even an organization you may have been connected to throughout the years of your life. Do not be surprised if He even reveals to you things of your childhood. It is OK to follow His lead and get set free. He knows what you need to set free in your heart, I challenge you to trust His lead and be set free. Forgiving others and even forgiving yourself is a great opportunity to allow healing of your heart. Remember, a whole heart is so much better than walking around with a broken heart waiting to be mended.
How can you possibly fulfill all that you would like to fulfill in your life if a piece of your heart is missing because the whole heart has not mended? Life is too short and too sweet to bear that burden when Jesus went to Calvary for you and for your freedom. Back to my story...I began reading this book last week and I viewed the DVD then also. Each time I pick up the book Holy Spirit really does remind me to forgive this person, this group, this organization etc. So, I pause and go to the prayer of forgiveness and I oblige the prompting of Holy Spirit. It truly is amazing how He will prompt my memory to people and places even as a child and then I pray the prayer of forgiveness. When I tell you this has been a process it truly has been. Even this morning early I was reading and He prompted me again to forgive some more and I did. Thank you Holy Spirit for caring about me so much that You want to see me set free. The process is in the choosing to let go of past hurts and regrets and to move forward toward the mark of the high calling on your life. It is so much better to let go of it and move forward.
I was recently reminded of a journey I took to a foreign country. It was a pilgrimage and I was on this journey with others that were also pilgrims on this journey. One day we climbed a mountain and you could see a rain storm coming in. I wanted to see the power of God so I kept praying as we went up the mountain that I wanted to see a storm so I could feel the power of God in the wind, etc. Even a pilgrim asked me what I was praying and I replied that I wanted to see something like Moses would have experienced (I do recollect it was something to that effect I stated. Gosh, that was well over almost 20 years ago.) There was something powerful as the wind was coming in and in the distance you could see the very dark clouds coming in. The closer we got to the top of the mountain you were able to see where the rain was falling in the distance.
What do you see at the top of the mountain? You can see everyting that you want to see. There are no trees, buildings, etc. to block your view. The only way you can have an obstructed view is if you choose to close your eyes and not see the great view from the mountain top. Do not allow yourself to obstruct the great view because you would rather choose to sit in pain and misery because of past hurts and betrayals. I challenge you to set those people and experiences free so you will be able to enjoy the beautiful view which is placed right before you. Do not continue on being fueled on past regrets but continue on with a healed heart that is able to receive love. How can one truly love others or another person if their heart is not fully healed and a broken piece of it is missing? You owe it to yourself to set that broken heart free to be mended and then watch what God will do for you. Do you want to love again? Then begin the process by loving yourself and seeing yourself as God sees you. He does not see you with a heart that is broken but with a heart filled with love and open to receiving even more love into your heart. How can you receive if you heart does not have the capacity to be able to receive? I encourage you to start the journey to healing that heart and one day you too will have a whole heart.
Stay focused and trust Holy Spirit when it comes to the forgiving process. If He shows you one day to forgive this person and you do and then days later He shows you again, trust Him and forgive again. There may be another facet of the forgiveness of that person that is now being dealt with on that day. This book and DVD are truly being freeing to me in my life. Thank you Joan Hunter for sharing your amazing story with us to help us get free.
I do not know about you but when I am reading a great book I will skip around to see what is to come in pages ahead. Maybe I do that because of curiosity. What I find myself doing is going to a chapter that may be speaking to me in that moment and I will read an excerpt or more and then back to the page I left off at. I will then read it again when it comes around in page order while finishing reading the book. I do not do this for each book I read though. Just when compelled to do so. Through experience and life experiences I mean, the author had poured out her heart to the reader. She does not just share with you she shares with you how Holy Spirit set her free and how to be set free yourself. Be thankful that God uses others and what was meant to be hurtful in their lives and turns it around to help others. That is a true blessing.
See, even when I was proofing this writing today Holy Spirit prompted me of other people I had to forgive. I did. I am not finished reading this book yet. I am a little bit over half way through and what I like so far is there was a prayer she leads you in and then she prays for you also. I do not want to tell you the page numbers of these prayers for that would not be prudent. It will be most helpful to you in the healing process if you read for yourself and discover them in proper timing while reading the book. Let Holy Spirit be your guide in this healing process. What works for me may be totally different in your healing process. Remember, this is your time for healing. I can suggest out of my experience but the true test of time is what works for your life and set of circumstances that has brought you to this time of healing in your life. Even what the author went through in her life may not be what you are experiencing in your life. It is not the story it is the process that she used to get set free. Her circumstances may be totally different from yours and that is OK. The end result whatever you may be dealing with in your life is that you are set free to be who you were created to be. So, do not let her story be a hindrance to you because you did not experience the same set of circumstances she experienced (to work for you.) In the end it is the goal to heal your heart. Hurt and pain are real and go beyond the pain to get the healing. God can and will use the life experiences of others to reach your pain and restore trust in your life.
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