Throughout 2013 you and I experienced perhaps numerous disappointments, letdown and unmet expectations.  We had opportunity to respond in anger, pick up an offense, grow cold toward someone or simply pretend it never happened.  How we responded or reacted was up to us.  In thinking back over the year 2013, I had one of the most personally challenging and difficult life situations.  Some days I felt freedom and many other days I felt defeated, unable to change the situation.  I know it affected me emotionally and it affected my thinking.  While I guess I’ve had a lifetime to prepare for such situations, I found myself very unprepared and trying to find some sanity in it all.  I forced myself to spend more time in God’s word and in prayer looking for answers (the opposite of what my flesh wanted to do).

After months of this turmoil, I read two verses of scripture that helped me immensely.  Of course I’ve read them many times before, but for that morning they were brand new once again – written just for my specific situation.  Colossians 3:13 & 14 state, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  The lesson?  As we look back over 2013 there is so much to be thankful for and there is so much to forgive yourself and others for.  Do not carry un-forgiveness, anger, offenses or a cold heart into 2014.  It will only hurt you.