HOPE TRIUMPHS

IF YOU THINK LIFE IS UNFAIR TO YOU…

It’s true that no one understands fully what any person might be going through. One can empathize. One can sympathize. Image credit: PARTH SHINGOD on Unsplash.

By REVEREND TONY ZEKVELD

Awful things happen to people that leave scars for a lifetime. It might be physical or emotional abuse, a loss, a crisis, a divorce, or life-altering addictions such as alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography. Or it could simply be a harsh circumstance in one’s life. These often bring much pain and misery.

Recently, in speaking with a person who has a lifetime of addiction, my wife and I were told, “But you don’t understand what I am going through.”

Well, in one sense, this is true. This person’s experience in her life is not mine. But could I not say the same thing to her, “But neither do you understand what I am going through”?

Our society today nurtures a sense of victimhood. The Cambridge Dictionary defines victimhood as “the condition of having been hurt, damaged or made to suffer especially when you want people to feel sorry for you because of this or use it as an excuse.”

We might call it the ‘victim mentality’. All of life is centered around the victim and his or her plight. A ‘victim mentality’ is a sorry plight to be in. It cripples; it paralyzes and it’s hard to move forward in life.

It’s true that no one understands fully what any person might be going through. One can empathize. One can sympathize.

But there is One who understands fully – the Lord Jesus Christ. In His love, God sent His Son Jesus into the world to solve the root cause of man’s misery and suffering: sin. Jesus paid the price for sin through His sacrifice on the cross and arose again from the dead to give new life to who trust on Him to save them.

He understands you and me fully. He sympathizes. The Bible says, “Cast all you care upon Him, for He cares for you.” We must go to Him for forgiveness, redemption and true healing in our lives. When we look outside of ourselves to Him, the entire focus begins to change. Though the scars remain, a new delight begins to enter the sorry plight in our lives. And the ‘victim mentality’ is swallowed up in Jesus, the Victor who brings light into the darkness as the sun rises to break the darkness of the night!

If you want to talk more, feel free to phone or text Reverend Tony Zekveld (“call me Pastor Tony”) at Hope Centre at 416-740-0543. His email is hopecentre@primus.ca  and website: www.hopecentrebrampton.com.