"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it."--Mark Twain

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
Don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;    
He’s the one who will keep you on track. Proverbs 3:5-6

Something written by a guy I met at my new office, Starbucks. Kind of my battle for the day.

Fighting out of old wounds against the people who hurt me, leading campaigns against those who've oppressed me, trying to take them down, sabotage them and "save" others from their hurting of more people is something I've been good at, even found identity in. You might think it would be personally empowering to take back my power, to take on an enemy. Yet for me, it hasn't been. It's only caused further pain. It was as if the enemy I was attacking was really myself, some phantom amalgamated bully I let live inside me to ever berate me and pick at old sores and scabs on my soul. To set myself up as an opponent to be further rejected, fought back against, and be reminded of old offenses and wounds.

Yet forgiveness, on the other hand, has been freeing for me and extremely empowering. Even if those who hurt me never asked for forgiveness or never do, it is better for my soul to let go of that pain, let others off the hook, to see those who have hurt me as valuable, and work towards reconciliation instead of revenge. -Andrew Rogers

Prayer: Grant me, O Lord, to trust in you with all my heart; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.