Loving broken people, like Jesus loves us, means putting ourselves at risk. It’s kind of like reaching out to pet your neighbor’s new pit bull that wandered into your yard. He looks like a friendly puppy, but you never know. Have you ever been bitten by life?

A hurt is the difference between what you expected to happen and what you experienced.

The ones we love the most can hurt us most deeply. So, what is a hurt? I heard Pastor Matt and Sarah Keller say that hurt is the difference between what you expected to happen and what you experienced. The gap between our expectations and our experience is called hurt. Have you had any gaps in your life?

So, here’s an example. I remember my first boo boo early in my 25-year marriage with Wendy. We were settling into life after our honeymoon. I grew up in a traditional southern home, and my father always sat at the head of the table. But Wendy didn’t put my seat at the head. That bothered me, and I bottled it up for a few days. Finally Wendy said, “Hey, what’s wrong? You look a little gloomy?” I said, “You didn’t put my seat at the head of the table.” She looked at the table and said, “The table is round. Uhh, where would you like me to put your plate? Just let me know.” Well, we worked through it and moved on to the next challenge.

Where have you been hurt? I’m studying the prophet Jeremiah and hope, by God’s grace, to write my next book on his life and message (So, be on the look out for some more Jeremiah blogs in the future).

The weeping prophet had good reason to cry. For starters, when Jeremiah was called by God in Jeremiah chapter 1, the Lord said, “Iv’e called you to be a prophet to the nations.” That sounded like a big deal, and Jeremiah responded, “Hold on! I’m too young, and I can’t speak that well.” But God said, “I’ve got you. I’ll put my words in your mouth.” So, he went for it, but it didn’t turn out as he planned.  

He was not a celebrity. He was not a rock star. Instead, he became a national object of scorn and ridicule. In a time of transparent prayer, Jeremiah told the Lord in Jeremiah 20:7, “You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.”

One of the most precious parts of his book are his confessions. We find them sprinkled in what appears to be random places around chapters ten to twenty. The transparent moments were never part of his public temple preaching but private times of prayer. How refreshing to read and experience such an authentic person! What can we learn?

First, let’s all stop acting like we’re not hurt. 

Positive psychology says, “Keep it positive. The secret to personal power is to say powerful and flattering things about yourself. Squash the negative and accentuate the positive as much as you can.” That’s horrible advice when it comes to our hurts. The most toxic people are the fake positive people who are really bitter on the inside.  

Here’s a question for starters. Do you want to stay hurt? Is that going to be the theme of your life story? For forty years, Jeremiah preached and no one listened or cared. The people he loved threw him under the bus, but he kept showing up. He chose to get better. And so he prayed this short, simple prayer, and it’s a good place for us to begin as we take steps toward the healing God wants to do. Here it is…

Jeremiah 17:14 – Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

Make that your prayer this week. More to come!