Okay, this is for the kiddoes but it may be a big help to other readers.

How do I deal with a past hurt? Let's take for example the fella who says, "My parents hurt me when I was a kid, and I still carry the root of bitterness in my heart."

The typical solution is for a well-meaning friend to say that God will work it out for good. He will eventually take the ashes and turn them into beauty, and will eventually turn our mourning into dancing.

Yeah, right. I was born in the morning but it wasn't yesterday morning. All your advice did there was say that God couldn't prevent the hurt from happening to me. So I end up with a secret and hidden, but very real bitterness toward God (who could have prevented it, but didn't), and toward my parents/teacher/friend who actually hurt me. You just made the matter worse.

I talked to an atheist lady once about Jesus. She said that she didn't believe in God. So I asked the question:

"How did He hurt you?"

And she began to cry.

"How could he take my mom away from me? Why would he take a mom from a little girl?"

It's not that she didn't believe in God, she just didn't believe in a God who would hurt her like that. She didn't want to believe in a God who was cruel.

Now listen, I believe that many Christians have a lack luster walk with God because they know that they SHOULD walk with God, but they really don't WANT to because of hidden pains, and unforgiveness toward him. They are not whole-hearted; they "oppose themselves.' (2 Tim 2) They run as fast as they dare after God, but they are afraid to ever really catch him.

"Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners." That is, wrong teaching on this subject has brought about a lot of poor walks with God.

Okay, so what is the biblical way to deal with this situation? It's simple: Thankfulness. That's it.

"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; " (Eph 5)

It's not enough to claim Romans 8:28 and say that 'God will eventually work this for good' and therefore I will be thankful for the result. No, we have to be thankful FOR the thing that hurt us.

I remember taking Evan to the doctor to have a boil on his leg lanced. Ouch. Because of his limited knowledge and understanding, all I could offer him was "TRUST me, honey. This is a good thing." But it hurt. And I hurt for him.

But it was good and necessary. And he trusted me, and I held him down. And I allowed him to be hurt. No, I brought him to the doctor and caused him to be hurt. I did it on purpose.

Now listen, our God is sovereign. He controls all things. He doesn't just ALLOW things to happen to us, he brings them on us. And sometimes they hurt us.

"HOW CRUEL!" you say.

But that is the response of someone who doesn't know that God is good and that I can trust him with everything, for everything, and in everything. He is ALWAYS good, and can always be trusted.

So, next time you are tempted to say, "Why did God allow that happen?" stop yourself and say, "God caused this to happen." But then, with faith in your heart, say, "Thank you. I trust that this is GOOD because it comes from the hand of my loving Father. I don't understand it. I HATE it. I am angry. But, Father, since it is YOU who has done this, then it is good. Thank you."

Sure it will be hard. It will take a lot of faith. It won't feel right to lay such a huge hurt at the feet of God, but it's okay. He can handle it. And he won't get angry with you for doing it.

He always loves you. He always has. He always will.

We usually fail in this faith response. This right here is where we mess up. We doubt that God is good, and rather than trusting him in FAITH, we respond with doubt like the lady who became an atheist. We turn away because we don't trust him anymore.

But God loves you. He always has. He always will.

Trust him.

Thank him.

That's it.