My initial response to the statement was … “Man … that’s good stuff! YES, it is possible!”
And, I was done with it …
Until I received a Facebook message from a friend, asking me what exactly I thought that statement meant and how it was possible. I told her I would have to think on this and that she had given me a blog post. Yay for friends with ideas!
The statement itself seems pretty simple in theory. Look:
“It is possible to get past things that you may never get over.”
I know, from personal experience, that this can be a true statement. And, I know there are lots of other people who can share my sentiment.
Everything always comes down to a choice. We can choose to forgive. We can choose not to forgive. Consequences and feelings will follow such choices.
I have been hurt. Everyone has. Hurt. Badly. Things that I thought I would never get over. Things that I thought I could just forget about and they would go away, but they would continue to appear over and over.
To “get past” something means to overcome an obstacle, a situation, a trauma, a circumstance. To me, getting “past” something means recognizing that what happened to you may not be fair and may be extremely painful, and then choosing to take control of your feelings, emotions, actions, and reactions. And, as always, over time, overcoming the the circumstances and situations get easier.
There are some things in my life that still hurt. Some I don’t think I will “get over” because they were doozies. But, ultimately, I have to question whether I want to live the rest of my life feeling defeated or victorious.
I choose victory. I choose being an overcomer.
Now, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t deal with our feelings, emotions, situations. We should. We dig deep. We ask Jesus to search us, to empty us, to heal us, then to guide us through and PAST.
It really is possible. In any situation, whether you see it as big or small. God sees. He knows.
To say, that you will never feel the pain or old, yucky feelings come back up again once you think you’ve gotten “past” it, is a fallacy. Because, after all, we are human. But, once you’re in the place of forgiveness and walking in light of being an overcomer, casting down those things that rise up become a lot easier. Time and Jesus really do heal ALL wounds.
This post makes me SO thankful that I found Jesus and He is the ONLY One who allowed me to get “past” things I couldn’t get “over” … He made me an overcomer. I definitely couldn’t have done it on my own power.
Once you get past whatever it may be, your life will change drastically.
Strength replaces weakness. Sweetness replaces bitterness. Acceptance replaces intolerability. Joy replaces despair.
You become an overcomer.
This post made me think of Julian of Norwich, who wrote (in the fourteenth century):
"You will not be overcome.
God did not say you will not be troubled,
You will not be belaboured,
You will not be disquieted;
But God said, You will not be overcome."