My younger daughter had a small cut on her lip. She would touch it every now and then. She always asked me to help check it. When those were not enough, she insisted I take her snapshot so she could see it properly. I was not giving in to her. When she continued to pester me, I simply told her; “What do you want to do with the picture of your wound? It’s healing up.” That statement struck a chord in me.
Friend, what do you want to do with the picture of your wounds? The truth is, hurts are real. Offences are real. Betrayals are real. Some would go through seasons in their lives when they would be badly hurt, greatly offended, and terribly betrayed (2 Timothy 4:14). What you do with those experiences matters a lot to your health and progress in life.
Why do you think that God told the Isrealites to look away from the Serpent bite to the image of the bronze serpent on the pole (Numbers 21:8-9)? It is to shift their focus from what the enemy is doing to what God has done through Christ (Galatians 3:13-14). You also need to shift your focus from what the devil is doing to what God has done for you in Christ. The truth is, the devil came late. Your betrayals came late. They did not know God’s eternal plan (1 Corinthians 2:7-9).
Don’t let what happens to you in life define you. Rather, let what God says concerning you determine your reality (Romans 8:28-31). Keep the image of who you are in Christ and what you want to become in your heart. What you imagine, you emerge in. Sometimes, it can be soothing to ruminate over what people did to you. You feel good and even enjoy the emotion it brings. But it would leave you bitter and not better. You need to forget the past (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Stop replaying that hurt, offence, betrayal, etc. in your mind. Look ahead. Move forward. Focus on what God is doing in your life now and next. Your betrayers are secretly desiring that you would be stuck and stranded without them (Acts 12:11). But you need to move forward. Stop giving too much power to people who don’t want your best. God has given you the power to change your reality as you navigate your future. Don’t give that power away. Be in charge of your emotions and imagination.
The reason people keep repeating negative patterns is because they keep focusing on them. You cannot move forward looking backwards (Hebrews 11:15-16). The reason God gave you two eyes and put both of them in front is so you can be forward-looking. Learn to journey with God into a beautiful future. Leave the hurt, hate, betrayals, offences, failures, etc. behind (Philippians 3:13-14). Stop replaying them.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria