How do I let go?

Ponder of yesterday...are we granting grace to our children, but not our spouse or other adult? 

Children may get disciplined, but they are forgiven very easily it seems.  Being grown gives us(at least most) the common sense not to jump over our sister's head while she is moving about on the floor, but it does not make us immune to making mistakes all together.  Are there areas where grace needs to be granted and forgiveness extended.  Remember this does not mean all is well and we are healed emotionally, it is a daily walk.  It also does not mean what was done is acceptable and okay to repeat, but it frees a person who has been hurt.  When I think back to the times I have been hurt in general,   I can tell you the pain inflicted on me was not what was on the other parties mind...but what was done and my pain were on my mind and that pain sat there eating away at all my thoughts...I could be in the middle of a nice prayer and before I know it, the prayer had been ruined by my thoughts of" WHY? HOW COULD THEY? Don't they know how bad they are hurting me?" 

Again...
Ephesians 6:12
For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

The enemy wants to rob us in every way he can.  One of his greatest attacks is destroying relationships, marriages, friendships, families...he knows the strength we get from praying together, leaning on each other and encouraging each other and he wants that squashed.  I am worthless to another person in need if all I can think on is my own pain.  When they talk it is muffled, it's heard but not LISTENED to and really processed.   So what CAN I do?

Matthew 5:44(HCSB)

⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Now, I would not say loved ones who hurt us are our enemies or that we are being persecuted for Christ, but I personally believe the concept still applies.  I prayed last night in this way.  My angel baby girl was keeping me up and my mind was running a million miles a minute thinking on past pains and how unfair it was that I was never "justified", it was never acknowledge even that I was truly hurt by actions taken again and again.  Oh the enemy was trying to have fun all day with me...BUT  greater is HE that is in me than he that is in the world.  I had fought the "good fight" all day and I was getting tired, plus lack of sleep from the night before and the current night was not helping any. 

In my sense of powerlessness I knew what I had to do.  On my knees (was already there too...fitting) I began to pray.  I did pray for myself, but also my prayer was for them, the one who hurt me.  I wanted them to know the pain they caused...this time it was not with the sole purpose of my healing, it was for THEIR healing.  The person hurt me again and again and just had not stopped in years, so really even though they did not know it yet...what they were doing to me was hurting them more.  See through my pain I have been growing, getting stronger, closer to God, wiser, praying for His wisdom, more loving, praying to know how to love those who hurt me time and time again.  But they haven't been drawing near, they haven't been learning and growing.  I actually felt sad for them more than for me. 

I can't tell anyone how to never let thoughts creep in, I would imagine this verse is a start...

1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray constantly.

pretty simple, eh?  As I mentioned before, even my prayers were being interrupted by the why's and how's etc.  So I am no expert...but I do, through prayer and seeking HIM and HIS ways, get through the "stinkin thinkin".  I do get the victory in the battles. As long as I keep my eyes on HIM I will always have the victory in the battles, even when I make "tactical errors" in battle, I never lose the whole battle.  I also know the war was won, I know where I am going and I know where the enemy is going
. 
BUT...how do I let go?  At this point I would say, I let go daily as needed, not in my strength but in HIS strength knowing that Jesus said in

Luke 23:34

  Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”.

If a person truly knew the spiritual trouble they were about to cause and felt the emotional pain they would inflict on others personally for themselves...they would not hurt us.  People...even when they do it on purpose...Don't know what they are REALLY doing.

Again for me personally I believe there is only sin against God, so though it hurts me, the sin is against God.  HE put the boundaries in place of what is sin and what is not.  I pray for forgiveness of my sins daily and I pray that I forgive those who sin against God and in turn hurt me and those who just plain hurt me, because my feelings do not determine sin.

In closing today...seek His ways...they are pure, our ways are not. My prayers are with all who have been hurt and are hurting still.  Spiritual hugs to all.  Many times in our pain we feel alone as if no one understands, but He IS near to us always, and He knows our pain. 


Deuteronomy 32:4

The Rock—His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just. A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true.

Ephesians 4:26

Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,