Butterfly Letters

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Are you holding on to anger, bitterness, and resentment? Free yourself today and find forgiveness for those who have hurt you, abandoned you, and/or betrayed you. Release it today and give it to God. Over time your heart will be softened, and you will be free to forgive.

I know how hard it can be to find forgiveness when you feel so hurt and let down. I know the pain your heart holds on to, wanting that person to make it right, but sometimes they know no better. I remember how angry I was when a person told me I needed to forgive my parents! Forgive? No way! Do you know what they did to me? How do you do that? They don’t deserve my forgiveness. I realized I don’t deserve forgiveness either, and yet God has forgiven me. He gave His life for me so that I could live! I started to pray and ask God to soften my heart to those who have hurt me. To help me to see them with His eyes and not mine. To walk in the spirit and not the flesh, to not allow my emotions to rule me.

I knew that if I didn’t let go of the anger that I was holding on to, I would never be free to heal my heart to love again. My heart was so closed off, and I felt so unworthy to receive love, even God’s love. I knew I had to make a choice to start the healing process and face my giants head on. I had to allow myself to become vulnerable, to face my fears and pain, learning to let go and let God. As my heart started to soften, I allowed the tears of healing to wash over me. That is when my healing began. All I really wanted to do was forget it ever happened and move on, but that was not God’s plan. He told me I had to pray for those who hurt me and learn to love them with His love. That was the hardest thing to do, but over time, I started to feel the heartache lift and the depression diminish.

This did not mean that I had to let them back in my life right away. I had to set boundaries that were good for me and helped me feel safe. It was a slow process, but today I can say I have healed and found freedom to forgive. Does it happen right away? No. Do I still feel hurt by others at times? Yes. Know that life is a journey of lessons and gifts that we must embrace along the way. I can tell you that the only way through is with a loving God and support group. Free yourself today. It’s so much easier to walk with love in our hearts than anger and bitterness.

There are some tools that I have learned to use along the way that worked for me. I have found that if I write a letter or journal about the situation, it brings peace to my heart and soul. Sometimes my letters were a place I could get my anger out. I wanted to give whoever had wronged me a piece of my mind, but that only makes you look the fool. I would seek God’s word and encouragement from others. I sought therapy to talk it out and work it through, not allowing it to fester in my mind.

God wants to heal your heart and bring you back to wholeness if you’ll let Him. Step out in faith and do what Jesus would do. As our hearts are changed, our actions will follow. We can either stay in the victim role and carry the burdens, or we can let it go. I know some things are just not forgivable, but if we search our hearts, we can find God’s love that brings forgiveness. We might not forget, but we won’t let the situation torment us like the enemy wants it to. When we can grow in our pain, we can show kindness to those who hurt us and allow the goodness of the Lord to shine through us. Know that it takes time, but when the freedom comes, oh how sweet it is for our soul. When others see the light in us, they just might want to know Him more.

Luke  6:27-28

But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Blessings,

Jill