|
We have talked about in previous articles that Water Street is presently on what used to be marshes around the edge of Mobile Bay. In 1813, the city limits were marked on Royal Street, an entire block to the West of today's Water Street. So the harshest side of Katrina, the eastern side, pushed water into the Mobile like it had been there before. Because it had. Even though the land had been built up, the bay still followed a familiar path. Much like that, sometimes we get damage from things that don't strike us directly. Situations that happen in the lives of others end up affecting us, and we experience damage. And if bad things happen to people we love, it may be harder to forgive the person who caused the damage. While over time, we might be able to deflect a direct hit, impart grace, understand where the attack came from, forgive and even forget, it is often much harder to do that when our families or friends are targeted. Our love and protectiveness for others can cause us to harbor a grudge unaware. That can be harmful to no one but us. Just like Mobile was susceptible to the flooding storm surge of Katrina, we can be sensitive to hurt from specific life experiences. Say a cheating spouse has injured us in the past. If someone cheats on one of our close friends or family, we may experience that hurt even more strongly than others. Our wound or scar can be shaken when the event happens, causing anger and pain directed at the current situation. The new hurt can roll in strongly because the familiar hurt has already cleared the path. So, what do we do? First, we have to be honest with ourselves and evaluate our anger. In Ephesians 4, Paul says, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice" (31). And this is valid not only for storms that make direct landfall, either. We need to have honest conversations with the Lord about the things Paul calls out. Are we holding onto these corrosive emotions? The next verse in Ephesians 4 says, "And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you." It all comes down to Jesus. Jesus died for us in a direct hit from a hurricane of sin and suffered all the consequences. Was it because He was delighted to do it? No. He even asked his Father if there was another way. But he took on the responsibility and suffered for us. Now, the aftereffects of this hurricane were unbelievably positive! Instead of storm surges, we are offered salvation and peace. Because of what Jesus did, we can ask Him to walk with us in any storm. He can heal our wounds and even soothe our scars. He offered Himself so that we could recover. Please pray for those still in recovery from Hurricane Ian. Consider sending money or supplies through a local church or charity.
|
