Strength for Tomorrow

 28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan.Romans 8:28 (GW)

All things work together for good but that doesn't mean all things are good.  It just means God can use that awful tragic thing somewhere down the road.   It means we all have the opportunity to make the choice....I won't be what happened to me, Ill be what I become.  

We all have the choice when we are living in the pain of our "today".  When memories are sometimes as painful as physical wounds, we often carry our wounds and scars deep in the hidden recesses of our hearts. 

They are locked in our hearts as memories, we cannot live without them, but we cannot live within them either.  

Those scars are just that, scars.  Proof of what we have lived through but not proof of who we are.  Those wounds heal over time if we are willing to do the hard work, to dig out even the slightest splinter of unforgiveness, to push love deep into the wound so that it can heal instead of fester.  

Once that wound has healed, once that scar has closed and time has worked it's plan that scar is proof of faithfulness, recovery, restoration and hope.  You have survived, what you thought would kill you.  

When you look back at yesterdays pain you suddenly realize it has given you strength.  God has been there, an ever present help in time of trouble.  It was still brutal and bloody, messy and ugly.  You may have been hemorraging with pain and lonliness, but upon further reflection you can see the shadow of the Almighty.  

You can come out from being frozen by shame and held hostage to silence.  You can let out a victory cry and a painful howl for everything lost and yet to be found.  Because both are true, things have been lost but victory is coming.   

Everyday you have the choice to grow from your pain, to put to death pity and self loathing.  To embrace the healing journey and wear the scars as a badge of honor. What was meant to destroy you has only made you stronger and better.  

Don't live in the pain of yesterdays bad memories, allow them to heal, allow them to make you stronger, braver, wiser.  Yesterday teaches us what we need to carry into the future, yesterdays are full of seeds for destiny.  The pain you are currently feeling is temporary, each day healing and strength are being restored and what you planted in the past is bringing forth hope in your future.  Life, like a mighty river keeps rolling along with all it's twist and turns, with the pain of disappointment raging, but suddenly you will come out of that and see the beautiful scenery.  You realize life has taken you to a better place, and joy has been restored.  
Life never looks quite like what you expect, you can't plan it all out.  Sh*t happens, you just have to choose to live in hope, and become. 

It's tough, but you are tougher.

It takes the whole story to get you there, to round the bend                                        and become the new you.