POUR OUT YOUR HEART
“I have a story for you! I just have to tell you what God’s been doing!” The distinguished Salvadoran gentleman was beaming.
It was our last day in El Salvador. Our Fresh Start team had just finished four intense days of workshops with pastors, teachers, and church leaders. Over and over again we shared about our path to freedom from the effects of offense, hurt and loss, through the power of forgiveness.
A Changed Heart
Something significant had happened in this man’s heart over the last few days, and he was just bursting to share. Eyes glowing, in careful English, he eagerly told me the story of how God had set his heart free. Here it is, in his own words:
“This past weekend was a blessing for my life. I was having some problems with my heart due to a situation with a supervisor at work. He treated me badly, shouted at me, and was very domineering. This hurt me and made me feel bad, stupid and inferior. He made me feel that he does not trust me any more. I felt angry, disappointed and rejected. But mainly I felt that I was treated as a fool despite my knowledge and experience on the job. So I decided to act as if I do not care, not associate with him anymore, and avoid him. But the worst thing was that I was angry and wanted to confront him.
“That’s how my heart was these last days, but God started to talk to me through the Word at the church. Last Saturday, the 10th of September, Fresh Start came to my church to teach how to handle this bitterness and anger.
“I decided to pour out my heart to God and forgive my supervisor, not taking into account what he said. I decided to start this day as a new day as if nothing had happened, expecting it to be better than the past. I give thanks to God for taking care of my heart and for bringing Fresh Start into my life. Blessings to the ministry and all the brothers and sisters that work in it!”
Pour Out Your Heart
This man put into action Psalm 142:1-2 – “I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; before Him I tell my trouble.” Rather than allow the bitterness of unfair treatment to eat him up inside, rather than respond out of a resentful or revengeful spirit, he chose to turn to his Heavenly Father and tell Him all about it. All the injustice, all the hurt, and all the anger was poured out at the feet of Jesus. And as he forgave his supervisor, God filled the man’s heart with freedom and release.
Will you pour out your heart to God today? Tell Him everything that’s hurting you. He cares. And He’s waiting to take that burden from you and exchange it for His peace.
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8 (NIV).
Going Vertical!
MJ