Dealing with Hurt and Offense

Dealing with Hurt or Offense?
Flush the Brush - By Pastor Andy Elliott
Do you ever deal with hurt, pain or offense you thought was already completely out of your heart only to have it suddenly come back up and throw you into discouragement?

Have you ever thought you were living "free and clear" from the hurts of an old wound only to have some random situation trigger a flood of old feelings?

At times like these, it's easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged when it seems like you're starting over and have never really let go of any of those old feelings. 
What happened to all the "processing" you did, all the counseling, the prayer or the forgiveness? After so much time and effort why does it suddenly feel like you haven't made any progress?

Before you get discouraged here's something to consider...

During the first years of our furniture store, we used to restore and hand paint furniture pieces. When we were finished with a piece we would head to the sink to "flush the brush". 

A few seconds under the faucet and the murky colored water soon ran clear and clean. All done, right?

If you've ever cleaned a paint brush you know the first clear water you see doesn't mean you're finished. 

That's because each time you use a paint brush some of the paint pushes down past the bristles and into the core of the brush. 

The first rinse clears the bristles but you have to keep flushing water into the core if you really want to get it clean.

Each time you flush water through the core it will eventually run clear. But wait... wiggle the bristles around and try flushing it under the faucet again. What will you see? Another round of murky paint water coming out of the brush.

It may feel like you're starting over but be encouraged - you are not! 

The water may appear just as murky each time the bristles are wiggled and more paint is released but in reality, each flush under the faucet is removing more and more of what was trapped in the core. 

For me, this process was always very frustrating. I'd much prefer to just throw the brush away and start over!

Fortunately, God is patient with us and will never just throw us away and start over! He is also loving and will never leave us full of nasty paint to dry up in our core and ruin our future.

His faithfulness and love mean we can trust Him to keep bringing circumstances into our lives which wiggle our core until He has helped us flush all the nasties and crusties we didn't realize were still there. 

Don't be discouraged. Don't give up. Trust the process and even more - trust the Processor. He is working with you to clean these hurts and pains out of your heart and He has promised to finish what He started.

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Philippians 1:6

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