Love Like You've Never Been Hurt By Jentezen FranklinSample

Day One

You Will Never Get Ahead Trying to Get Even

Scripture:  Philippians 3:13-14

When you have been wronged, a poor memory is your best response. A good forgettery is what all of us need.

Have you ever noticed how a jeweler shows his best diamonds? He sets them against a black velvet backdrop. The contrast of the jewels against the dark background accentuates their luster.

In the same way, God does His most stunning work where things seem hopeless. Wherever there is pain, suffering and desperation, Jesus is there. There is no better place for the brilliance of Christ to shine.

I do not know what is going on in your life as you read this devotional, but I do know this: The pain you feel today is the pain you can heal.

I have never felt the pain of addiction. I have never felt the pain of losing a child. I have never felt the pain of divorce. I can only offer people the advice of God’s Word and prayer. But people who have been through those valleys and felt that pain are more qualified to help heal someone going through the same crisis. What is important to remember; however, is that regardless of the source of your pain, God can heal you.

It has been said that family provides us with life’s greatest joys and at times life’s deepest sorrows. When I think about how hard it is to make the family work, the challenges that come and the complications involved, it is really something else. Family members know how to tick us off. They can get on our nerves. The people we love the most are the ones who potentially, through offenses, can infect us if we do not react right. But I have learned that with challenges come opportunity. And family also provides the greatest opportunity for us to learn how to love like we’ve never been hurt.

The Big Idea:  The pain you feel today is the pain you can heal.