― Martin Luther King, Jr.
When I was about twelve years old I was stung by a bee just above my elbow. Days went by and the swelling would not go down. I was in pain. I moped around the house feeling sorry for myself. Why did I have to be allergic to bee stings? I have only been stung a few times in my life, but I remember every time because of the swelling and pain I went through. One time I was stung on my foot and had to wear my dad's boot on that foot to go outside.
My mom had some friends to the house and as they were leaving one looked at my swollen arm. He asked if he could take a closer look. I was hesitant, afraid he would touch it and hurt me. Of course he did touch and actually pulled out the stinger. I had no idea that the stinger was left behind. The swelling went down in a day or so and I was back to normal. What would have happened had he not asked to look at it? How long would I have suffered?
Recently I had my feelings hurt. I was wronged by a close friend and it stung. I found myself wanting to isolate, cut off my friendships and run. I went for a drive, because that's what I do when I am down. I was talking to God about what happened, but not getting any words from Him. He had warned me the attack was coming and I had prepared for it, but it still hurt. I was miserable, not getting any words of comfort from God. I wanted to hear Him more than anything. Finally, like I have many times, I asked Him to sing to me. It may be a childish game, but it works. It's one way the Lord talks to me and sometimes I don't even ask for it, but this day I did. A song came on the radio that I had not heard before.
God began to speak to me through the song, but also when it was over. It reminded me of the bee sting. We live in a world that might as well be a beehive. We can be stung everyday, by strangers, friends, and family. Forgiveness is taking the stinger out, the swelling goes down and we can get back to business as usual. This was an example God used to teach me that the sooner we forgive the sooner we heal.
I pray that one day I can grow enough that I can wear forgiveness like a repellent and not even feel the sting. We are all people trying to live and grow together and God has a plan for each of us. The enemy can use hurt by others to slow us on our journey. Recently, the Lord said to me, when I asked Him what He wants me to do, "Forgive and follow, forgive and follow, forgive and follow." It makes even more sense to me now.
“The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either -- or both -- when needed?”
― Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes
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