A couple of years ago on fourth of July, I remember sitting in my room just scrolling down my facebook timeline checking out every one else’s life. You know how that goes. lol As I was browsing through, I saw some pictures posted from my son’s uncle. They had visited Florida to go see my son’s dad and it was the WHOLE family. Everyone but my son of course.

Talk about hurt and rejection! 

No one considered talking to me about my son possibly going along with them. I mean he does only get to see his dad once a year, MAYBE twice if we get lucky.

I started crying and yelling at my phone (you know because they could totally hear me lol smh). I just didn’t understand why MY son was the rejected one! I had made the decision to walk in forgiveness for a couple of years now and not be this horrible “baby mama” that most people would stereotype single moms as. I was going to be different, and show him Christ’s love even though I FELT he didn’t deserve an ounce of it.

So why God? Why my son? Why do we have to be the rejected ones, the ones treated the worst as if we never really existed? 

AND THEN (here’s the kicker) I felt God nudging me to just let it go.

WHAT?? God, You have got to be kidding me? Let it go? Turn the other cheek? FORGIVE HIM????? No God! I’m sorry, but I just can’t do it this time! He doesn’t deserve it and I’m not giving it to him! I AM NOT TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK! I’m just going to end his relationship with his son, and never speak to him again. It’s not like he would care anyways. That’s what he wants! No responsibility. Cam and I to just disappear. God, what about Cam and I and how WE FEEL? We just have to take it and move on? Where is the fairness in all of this?

God let me vent. 

He let me get it all out and how I felt. And then He spoke to me and wrecked the mess out of me. I came across this devotional about being offended or justice or something to that nature and the scripture was at the top of the page, 1 Peter 2: 21-25. I didn’t even have to read the devotional. God had spoken so loudly through His word and had convicted my heart so deeply that I didn’t need it. Here is the scripture:

1 Peter 2:21-25

New Living Translation (NLT)

21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered[a] for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

22 He never sinned,

    nor ever deceived anyone.[b]

23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted,

    nor threaten revenge when he suffered.

He left his case in the hands of God,

    who always judges fairly.

24 He personally carried our sins

    in his body on the cross

so that we can be dead to sin

    and live for what is right.

By his wounds

    you are healed.

25 Once you were like sheep

    who wandered away.

But now you have turned to your Shepherd,

    the Guardian of your souls.

——

“But God, it just isn’t fair.” 

I just cried. I forgave him, and God held me as I did. It’s a moment I will probably never forget.

Being a follower of Christ means turning the other cheek as He did even if it means suffering for it. Christ was MAJORLY rejected! By His own people! But he kept walking, and fulfilled God’s plan of reconciliation for us. He suffered for us, why can’t we suffer for Him?

Turning the other cheek doesn’t make you weak, and it doesn’t mean that person is going to get away with murder either. 

It’s about submitting yourself to God, putting your situation in God’s hand who ALWAYS judges fairly, and letting Him be in control. This is definitely easier said than done I know, but the beauty about being in Christ, is that we are blessed with the power to do God’s will. So we have the strength to forgive whether we feel they deserve it or not, and to let it go. We just have to CHOOSE to walk in that blessing.

Something you will probably alway hear, but I will say it anyways.

Forgiveness is not for the other person, it’s for your own freedom. 

I could’ve sat there mad, growing bitter, and hating him while he is over there enjoying his life with his family on the Florida beaches. Now I’m walking around being negative nancy to everyone who walks in my path, yelling at my child for no reason, and for what? Does his dad even know that I’m angry? Well he could know about it. I could’ve called him acting a fool and yelling and calling him every name out the book, but what would that have solved? Would it change anything? It probably would’ve just made things worse.

I had to hand it over to God. I had to let go of control, knowing that there was nothing that I could do to change his dad. God had to work on him, if that’s what He chose to do.

As I came across this scripture this morning in my study time, “By his wounds you are healed” really stood out to me! Yes, we may have to suffer for letting things go and leaving it in God’s hand. God knows that the things people do and say can leave wounds, and hurt you deeply. He knows and He understands, and that is why He SENT JESUS CHRIST! Our healing doesn’t depend on whether we ever get an apology or whether we get revenge on that person, our healing came from Jesus shedding His blood on the cross! All of the damage done by any offense that has happened in your life is healed through Christ. HOW AWESOME!!!

God won’t let us suffer and leave us wounded. 

Quick testimony on this situation and how God restores. I took Cam to see his dad for Christmas eve this year to spend some time with that side of his family for Christmas. When I tell you that I left with my heart so full of joy!!! It’s kind of weird, but we all interacted as one big family. You could tell that the past was all forgiven and put behind us, and we were only going to grow closer from there. I felt so much peace being there, and God reassured me that He had been working in our lives the whole time. All I had to do was trust that all things were working for our good because we loved Him and we’re called according to His purpose. I had to trust that He knows the plans that He has for our lives. Plans to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. 

I just had to TRUST HIM because He is my God and He cares for me! 

God is working in your life as we speak! There will be days when it doesn’t seem like that is true, but He is! Whoever has hurt you, as bad as it was, I want you to forgive them and let it go! Even if you have to tell yourself a million times in one day, “I forgive him. I forgive him. God I give this to You. I hand this over to You.” Every time you say it, healing is taking place. Before you know it, those situations you had to keep forgiving don’t even bother you anymore.

This has been on my heart for some time to share. God is so amazing and loves us so much! I just pray that first, if you don’t know Christ and really want to experience His healing, that you open your heart to Him and accept Him as your Lord. It is through Christ living within us that makes all of this possible! Second, I pray that every situation that you’re caught in where you have to walk in forgiveness, I pray for God’s strength to manifest through you to let it go and give it to Him! It’s not easy, but walking in freedom makes it worth it!