[janbear]

Hebrews 12:1 offers a challenge none of us can afford to ignore:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

For many of us, though, past hurts, hang-ups and habits are holding us back and tripping us up. We may be stuck in a mode of bitterness over what someone else has done to us, continuing to hold on to the pain and refusing to forgive those who are responsible. In all fairness some of us have been hurt very deeply. Perhaps we were abused as a child, or maybe our spouse has committed adultery. But it's important for us to understand that holding on to that hurt and being unwilling to forgive that person who has injured us in the past only allows them to continue hurting us today. By starting to work our recovery program, we can with God's power, begin to find the courage and strength to forgive the guilty party.
To be continued...