“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32. And boy, what a freeing statement that is.
All my life, I’ve struggled with getting my feelings hurt. And, many of the supposed hurts are just that–supposed. But whether the person who injured my exposed raw nerve ends meant to or not or whether the whole thing was a figment of my imagination, I hurt! And, when I hurt, I didn’t go tip-toeing in the “Slough of Despond”, I jumped in, whole-heartedly, landing with a big, muddy splash and sinking to the bottom!
It didn’t matter whether it was a harsh word, a hateful look, a cold shoulder, or something else, my sunny day suddenly became cloudy, dark, and very, very cold. Now, why would I let somebody else control my own emotional weather? But I did, until I looked at a verse in the Bible a little differently.
That verse was John 8:32. I believe the Lord was talking about knowing that He is the Lord and that truth would free us from the results of our sin. He is Truth and His Word is Truth. But also…also, dear reader, the truth is people are more concerned with their own lives, their own set of problems, their own victories and advancement than they are with mine. In other words, those scornful or downright mean words and actions were not about me. The perpetrator had other problems going on in his or her life.
Wow! How wonderful to know that. So, instead of curling up in a dark corner and watching the world with fearful eyes, I started to ignore a lot, and pray a lot, and keep on keeping on.
You look the truth in the eyes; you don’t cower and hope to go unnoticed. So yes, sometimes my feelings are hurt, just as yours are and everybody else’s in this world. Only now, I realize that although I may not be control of other’s words or actions, I am in control of mine. I don’t run and hide. And freedom is a wonderful thing.
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