Title:- Mourning Mischief
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.
Picking at scabs is the business of young boys and I well remember that as a youngster and in the age of short trousers, me and every other kid I knew had scabby knees. The daily rough and tumble of boys
shinning up trees, climbing over walls, falling off bikes and slamming studs at the bottom of a soccer boot into one another from deliberately misplaced sliding tackles, just seemed to daily perpetuate the issue of scabby knees! When our happy and tired little gang did eventually take a break and sit down together (usually to discuss what TO DO next) it was with our butt on the ground, our backs leaning against a wall and our knees up towards our chin and then, we beheld the scabs! Of course, if the scabs had somewhat progressed in the process of healing, the extremities of these brown rocky outgrowths would now have already lifted up a little on the edges and were far too inviting to be left alone by little boys. You know what followed? More picking, more bleeding, more pain, and a little while longer to heal. The most intrusive and consistant picking may even have left a scar? There is a two-fold danger concerning the hurts we encounter in life.
The first is that we are too busy, or already too injured to correctly mourn the present loss and express the present pain and, and consequently, the second danger is that we do not truly forgive from our hearts, those perpetrators of such a wounding. Beware these two dangers of lack of emotional expression and the consequent lack of true forgiveness.
For better and speedier healing of scabby little knees, the first answer then, is that we must take the time to find a safe place, and get moaning and a mourning over the hurt! That may mean getting angry and even getting upset with others and undoubtedly, even yourself, maybe, in a misunderstood and ignorant way of course, even at God!It may mean kicking a few trees and shaking your fists; it may mean venting a few appropriate expletives but whatever it takes, get that poison out. Vent and mourn. Remember that if you bottle up the hurt or repress the pain then in the end, they both shall at some point, leap up and bite you on the butt; guaranteed!
Secondly you must then begin the business of forgiving. Forgive others, and especially forgive yourself. After all, I wonder if we are always at some point maybe, ‘part of the problem?’
Oh and Finally, don’t believe that your forgiving is a one off event. Of course it isn’t, it’s a continuous act. Until that vial of poison is thoroughly emptied, until that puss has been thoroughly squeezed out of the sore, each time the pain, the loss, the hurt presents itself, you must keep venting and you must keep forgiving.
Lastly, (which always comes after a finally) remember that whatever you do when the healing has obviously begun……..STOP PICKING THE BLOODY SCABS!
Listen: - You will know when you are picking the scab, you really will! Because your own heart, God the Holy Spirit and hopefully some faithful onlookers will tell you that the healing has begun. Once the scab has covered the wound and healing has begun, stop the mourning and start living! Remember these lines from Othello, Act1, Scene 3. “To mourn a mischief that is passed and gone is the next way to draw new mischief on.”
Pray: - And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors, In Jesus name we pray, amen! Matthew 6:12
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