The Hurt SpiralSample

THE STRUGGLE IS REAL

The starting point for talking about hurt is to accept that it is a very real part of life. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from getting hurt. Neither does it expect us not to feel the effects of hurt in our lives.

In 2 Samuel 13, we read the tragic story of a family hit by hurt. Amnon, King David’s son, became so obsessed with his half-sister, Tamar, that he raped her. I can’t imagine the amount of hurt captured in this one sentence. Tamar’s life was ruined (v. 20), and David ended up losing two sons (v. 29; 2 Samuel 18). But It is Tamar’s brother Absalom’s experience of the tragedy that teaches us a lot about dealing with hurt.

When Absalom heard what happened to Tamar, he knew he had to be strong for his sister. He jumped in, trying his best to navigate an impossible situation. “Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, ‘Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.’ So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house” (2 Samuel 13:20, NLT).

But the problem with hurt is that it doesn’t just go away. I love this quote by an anonymous author: “You can close your eyes to the things you don’t want to see, but you can’t close your heart to the things you don’t want to feel.” Absalom’s story is a classic example of what happens when the hurt we feel starts spilling over from our hearts.

What feelings of hurt have penetrated your heart? Do you think that some of the struggles in your life may be rooted in a wounded heart?

Over the next few days, we will look a bit deeper into the hurt journey of Absalom and his family. And I pray that the Lord will open our hearts to healing and restoration from the effects of hurt in our lives. “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23, NLT)