One line. SO much encouragement.

So something really sad happened to me today … a person I consider a friend said something to me that really hurt.

Fred is URGING me to let it go. Don’t even think about it. Just cover it with grace.

And I’m trying. But I’m still feeling very sad.

I will tell you something encouraging, though. A friend wrote me a quick email today on a totally unrelated subject (SHE is actually going through some REALLY hard stuff these days) … and signed it with this line:

Ah! What a good reminder.
And what a wonderful encouragement too.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we can encourage one another?
How I pray that I will minister such love as I go throughout my days.

(Thanks, friend!)

PS
Here’s a little update from the next day …

I ended up sending that one line (“Take heart my friend! The Lord is with us.”) to the OTHER friend–who had hurt me. And we saw each other last night too.

And you know what?

It wasn’t easy. But we talked. I shared how embarrassed I was that I could not just overlook. (Oh! How I want to grow in grace and maturity and just be able to unilaterally forgive such offenses.)

And my friend (with some time and effort) saw that her words were hurtful to me. And she apologized. And I forgave her.

THEN I apologized (for being so think-skinned and even need to talk about it!) and she gently and lovingly forgave me.

And we were reconciled.

Thank God for the Cross of Christ!
Thank God for the resurrecting power of God!

The same power that raised Christ from the dead is at work within us! And His grace allows my friend and I to be TRULY reconciled.

With a friendship that is even STRONGER than before.

Thank You, Lord!
And thank you, my dear friend.