A flood of emotions ran through me this week as I turned from one disappoint to another.  Hurt.  Betrayed.  Sad.  Confused…ugh…

One thing that will be consistent on this earth is that humanity will hurt you.  People will let you down.  Sometimes the boundaries will seem invisible as people cross lines that you were sure were laid in cement.  And it will never cease to feel like a blindside.

As I prayed through each situation that came across my path this week, one thing God kept showing me was a mirror.  He kept gently reminding me of one thing:  I have hurt people with my decisions as well.

Ouch.

“But Lord, that was never my intention. I was just doing what seemed best for my life at the time.”

Nonetheless, the truth still stung.  I am just as fallible as the person next to me and my own humanity will result in hurting those around me at times.

But it’s much easier to point the finger at others than quietly contemplate where I am weak, isn’t it?

Yet when I stop long enough to seek the heart of God, one thing is always true: Grace precedes my judgment.

Grace for those who purposely hurt me.

Grace for those who hurt me in the process of making decisions.

Grace for those who never even knew my name, but their actions still impacted me.

And it is in that grace where the hurt and anger can be dealt with by Jesus, rather than solidifying into bitterness and resentment.  In this backwards world of Christianity, it is there that I win, it is there that I get my due, it is there where freedom becomes my prize.  It is there where revenge is no longer mine, but God’s…and I can rest in His justice.

It is also there where I can find the forgiveness that I need when I fail others.

His mercies are new every morning and many of us need them today…