When It Hurts: A Family Devotional for Sadness, Grief, and Hard Daysಮಾದರಿ

One of the things that can distract us the most from healing is blame. We can blame ourselves or other people for what happened to us. Our feelings are important, but it is also important to remember that our feelings are not always true.

We can feel like our pain is our own fault.

Sometimes, this makes logical sense, and sometimes, it doesn’t.

Sometimes, the pain really is our fault, and sometimes, it’s not.

Sometimes, it feels like we should have to pay the price for our pain.

We can feel like our pain is someone else’s fault.

Sometimes, this makes logical sense, and sometimes it doesn’t.

Sometimes, the pain really is someone else’s fault, and sometimes, it’s not.

Sometimes, it feels like they should have to pay the price for our pain.

Jesus says there is one person who has paid the price for all the pain: Him. Jesus paid for all the wrong things that have ever and will ever be done by dying on the cross. You don’t have to do anything else to make His sacrifice complete. The person who hurt you doesn’t have to do anything else to make His sacrifice complete. You can forgive both yourself and others.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that what happened wasn’t wrong or didn’t hurt. And it doesn’t mean that we let wrong things keep happening. It means that the person who wronged you doesn’t oweyouanything; you can drop the wrong thing they did and trust that Jesus will take care of it.

It means that you don’t owe Jesus anything; you can drop the wrong thing you did and trust that Jesus will take care of it. Jesus wants to set you free from blame so He can heal your heart. As a family, it is important we set each other free and ourselves free from the need to pay for what was done to us. We can trust Jesus to bring justice and healing into every heart and every situation.

Family Discussion Questions (pick 2 or more)

• Is there someone you are blaming for the hurt you feel?
• Do you blame yourself for the hurt you feel?
• Do you believe that Jesus did enough to forgive ALL sins?
• Let’s say a prayer of forgiveness right now.