How many of us have ever had someone proverbially stab us in the back?

A friend? A coworker? An ex-boyfriend/girlfriend? A family member or possible family member? Or even a complete stranger?

And how did we feel when they very first did so?

Our first reaction was likely shock and anger, followed by a sense of hurt, resentment & disillusionment. The very first question we probably asked ourselves directly AFTER the course of the hurtful experience is: “WHY? What did I ever do to DESERVE THIS?“ In our younger day, we might’ve thought of *revenge tactics* to get back at them. But in our older, more “spiritually mature” day, we slowly come to realize that two wrongs don’t make a right and also that there’s usually something going on with a person psychologically or emotionally if they hurt someone like that.

But you got to realize something. Nine times out of ten, it’s not ABOUT you. It’s really about them and their character. Sometimes someone is having a bad day and happens to “snap” or say something/do something unkind to you. Sometimes someone else is jealous of what YOU have and decide to take it out on you, somehow. And some people are “sadists” and seem to get some sort of “enjoyment” out of causing others pain (and if it’s THAT type of person you’re dealing with, be very, very cautious as those types of people can be VERY DANGEROUS!) 

Yet in other cases, certain people are still dealing with DEEP, DEEP-rooted psychological wounds from their childhood/adolescence that NEVER FULLY HEALED and their being “mean” to you has more to do with that very “issue” resurfacing in their life again (i.e. a woman who was sexually abused in childhood is mean towards all men, people that were bullied as children go on to bully others as adults, a guy who felt abandoned by his mother might be extra distrustful towards women, etc.) than it does with YOU! And sometimes, a person doesn’t even REALIZE they’re being mean/unkind to you. 

Many people who feel insecure in their own lives will go about trying to put down other people trying to make themselves feel better. But that doesn’t mean you have to partake in their drama. No. You can be better than that.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross for forgiveness of mankind’s sins, he KNEW how humans would be like after that. He knew the future that would encapsulate the “culture” surrounding the passage of Matthew 24:12-13: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Just like he KNEW that many people, in the End of Days, would stab each other in the back and constantly try to “one up” one another (either for the pure revenge of it or just for the mere “fun” of it). 

And though there is the popular saying “don’t get mad, get EVEN”, Jesus Christ would likely say to each of us something along the lines of: “I understand if you’re mad/hurt about this but don’t let your anger get the best of you and do NOT get even”. The Lord God said in the bible in Romans 12:19 (KJV) “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord”

In other words, if we HATE someone that hurt us,  or go out of our way to try to hurt THEM, the only person we’re hurting is ourselves. It takes SO much time and mental energy to HATE someone. But it takes very little time and energy to try to forgive someone. Afterall, we’re all human, we ALL make mistakes.

And besides, that person might not have realized they’ve hurt us. And if they hurt us *intentionally*, well, then it’s really themselves that they’re hurting. Cause no true person in their RIGHT MIND would have to go to such great lengths to hurt someone unless they themselves were hurting from within. Cause remember…the old saying really IS true: “misery loves company”. 

Though some people that LIKE to “one up” people seem to feel pretty good about themselves from the onset. But lets face it. No truly CONFIDENT person would have to hurt someone in order to prove their worth. For if they were TRULY confident in themselves, they wouldn’t HAVE to prove anything, see? Because they’d technically already KNOW their self-worth, without having to prove or justify it.

But I see that type of behavior in people all the time. Female friends try to steal each other’s boyfriends. Brothers try to steal their brothers’ girlfriend(s). Children/teens are rude/mean to their parents or vice versa. Coworkers try to rip each other to shreds when the boss is not looking. Ex-boyfriends and girlfriends acting all “catty” with one another, trying to make one another jealous…Or even people on Youtube MAJORLY mocking others on Youtube, even.

We are now living in the End of Days and what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:12-13 (New Testament, book of Matthew, chapter 24, verse 12-13) “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved”.

Proverbs 20:22 says: “Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee”

Plus the Lord’s Prayer states the following:

“Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Amen”

“So what does THAT mean?”, you may ask yourselves. (The part in which I particularly emphasized and underlined, that is).

It means that if WE want to be forgiven by Jesus Christ for all the wrong things that WE ourselves have ever said or done throughout our lifetime, that WE must forgive OTHERS that have said or done wrong/hurtful things towards US.

And I know that’s easier said than done. But the good thing about the Lord Jesus Christ is that he will ALWAYS answer a sincere prayer.

If there’s someone in your life who has majorly hurt you and you’re having trouble forgiving that person, then take it to Jesus. Pray to him the following:

“Lord, I’m still very hurt and angry over this person who has hurt me. Please help me with forgiving this person as I am still struggling with that. I don’t WANT to hate this person or be mad at them anymore. Please help me Lord. Amen”

And the Lord will slowly help you forgive that person. And once you truly forgive a person and are able to move on with your life, it is the most peaceful, happiest feeling in the world. It’s like the Lord Jesus Christ has set your soul free from the *sinful bondage* of hate/resentment/anger.

Note: EVEN IF somebody has already passed on or you’ve lost contact with that person, you can STILL forgive that person or those people and be released from the sinful bond of anger/resentment/hatred. Just pray: “Lord, I know it’s too late at this point to have an Earthly reconciliation with this person, but please cleanse my heart and mind and allow me to fully forgive this person. Thank-you, Lord. Amen”.

And if it’s a case where you just can’t seem to forgive this person, no matter WHAT you do, (be they dead/lost contact with or alive), pray the following prayer :

“Lord, this person has done SO much to hurt me, I’m STILL angry, hurt, disillusioned, scared. I don’t know if I can ever forgive this person or not, on my own. Please heal me and cleanse me from within so that I can someday forgive this person with no sinful burden of anger in my heart. I don’t WANT to hate anymore! Please help me get rid of the hate in my heart so that I can forgive this person. Amen”.

And pray and believe the prayer with ALL your heart, ALL your soul and ALL your mind and the Lord Jesus WILL cleanse you and help you forgive that person/people! MARK MY WORDS!

See, cause if you CONTINUE to hate someone for hurting you without forgiving them, not ONLY will Jesus Christ not forgive YOU for all YOUR sins throughout your lifetime [Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount that hate is = to murder in our hearts!] but the hate and resentment will just eat AWAY at you, night and day. Sooner or later, you will start to hate everything and EVERYONE. You will become extremely pessimistic and bitter and find no joy in ANYTHING. Your life will hardly seem worth living.

But if you can learn to forgive someone for hurting you (with the Lord Jesus’s divine help, ofcourse), then your soul will be SET FREE from all that *negative energy* trying to weigh you down. You will feel relaxed, as if a HUGE weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You will feel content and free and joyous in the Lord and joyous in your life. Plus you will be better able to start preaching the gospel again and maybe even having some more opportunities to spread the gospel. Your spirit will feel *spiritually revived*.

Sometimes people are depressed and got problems in their life. So they subconsciously try to hurt or lie to others to try to make themselves feel better. Yet, others are sometimes jealous of what we have and what they feel they do NOT have. But regardless the reason, NEVER let it get to you! Not only does Jesus Christ say we must FORGIVE the people that hurt us in our lifetime but we must also PRAY for them.

We must pray that Satan will lose his grip on their souls and that the Lord will open up their eyes and make them see what they are doing and why it is wrong.

[[And ya know what? Many a Satanist, Wiccan, Atheist, Scientist, Agnostic, criminal, etc. were brought to faith in God by the DILIGENT prayers of the loved ones and/or Christians around them. So never say never. For NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE LORD! ;)]]

In fact, remember that section of the Old Testament that talks about Abraham and his wife Sarai and how God told Abraham that his wife Sarai was to have a baby (even in her old age?) And how both she and Abraham laughed at the idea on separate occasions and of how God said in Genesis 18: 13-14: “And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son”.

On the other hand, we should never TOLERATE repeated bad behavior from others. There’s a difference between forgiving someone and getting out of a bad situation.

But no matter the situation, one thing is clear. Jesus Christ hears ALL the prayers of his faithful (those who strive to live by his standards in the bible and beyond).

Even if you DO resent someone right now or you feel like you’re 20 million miles away from Jesus Christ right now, or him from you, pray to be restored to him. Pray that he’ll help you forgive people or overcome whatever sin you’re struggling with right now. Time is of the essence.

The sooner you forgive people in your life, and the sooner you become restored to Jesus Christ again, the better.

I pray for all the souls that read this and pray that each soul that reads this is either brought back to Jesus Christ or comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ before it’s too late and their souls are lost for eternity. Amen.