In living Your life, it's inevitable that you’ll encounter moments of pain, betrayal, and disappointment. These wounds, inflicted by others or even by your own actions, can linger, casting shadows over your present and hindering your future. Yet, as followers of Christ, we are called to a path of healing – a journey of embracing forgiveness and restoration, both for ourselves and for others.

The first step toward healing from past hurts is acknowledging the pain. It's okay to admit that you’ve been hurt, that the wounds run deep, and that the scars still ache. Pretending that everything is fine or burying your pain only prolongs the healing process. Instead, you’ve got to allow yourself to feel the pain, to grieve the losses, and to confront the emotions that inevitably surface.

But healing doesn't end with acknowledgment; it begins with it. The next step is embracing forgiveness – a radical act of love and grace that sets you free from the chains of bitterness and resentment. Forgiveness doesn't excuse the wrongs done or diminish the pain you’ve experienced; it simply acknowledges both the offender and the offended. Just as Christ forgave us, so too are we called to forgive others.

Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. It's a decision to release the debt owed to you to let go of the desire for revenge, and to place justice into the hands of God. And while forgiveness may be difficult – even painful – it is the gateway to healing. As Corrie ten Boom once said, "Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart."

But forgiveness is not only about extending grace to others; it's also about receiving grace for ourselves. Often, the hardest person to forgive is the one staring back at us in the mirror – the one who made mistakes, who fell short, who caused pain. Yet, in Christ, we find redemption and restoration. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we are forgiven, redeemed, and made new. As we embrace God's forgiveness for ourselves, we can extend that same forgiveness to others.

Healing from past hurts also involves seeking restoration – the process of rebuilding what was broken, of reconciling relationships, and of reclaiming joy and wholeness. Restoration takes time and effort, and it may require vulnerability and humility. But as you surrender your hurts and brokenness to God, He promises to make beauty out of ashes, to bring healing to our wounded hearts, and to restore what the enemy has stolen.