Issue 1 | 2024
Beyond Justice to Mercy
Beyond Justice to Mercy
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The<br />
Beauty<br />
in<br />
Forgiveness<br />
BY STEPHANIE M. CARTER<br />
ain. It’s the package<br />
God often uses to prepare<br />
us for His call on our<br />
lives, to order our steps<br />
down His path (Proverbs<br />
19:21), and to reveal His<br />
true nature, character,<br />
and love. Without pain,<br />
we may not get to where<br />
God wants us to be.<br />
Sometimes, we must<br />
experience darkness and<br />
carry it in our souls to find<br />
true freedom.<br />
I have suffered deep pain, but none like<br />
what emerged from my failed marriage to<br />
my best friend. I never knew that someone<br />
I loved and trusted and who I believed God<br />
had given me could create such feelings<br />
of abuse, rejection, hatred, depression,<br />
and a deep sense of failure and sadness.<br />
The mental anguish was staggering, and it<br />
almost destroyed me and others. I felt like<br />
a prisoner in my home, heart, and soul.<br />
It wasn’t until I gave God the keys to<br />
my broken heart that I was finally free.<br />
He healed me and made everything new<br />
(2 Corinthians 3:17, 5:17). He gave purpose<br />
to the divorce and my struggles as a single<br />
mom and used them to reveal hidden<br />
resentment and hurt. He also helped me<br />
discover my true self and true love.<br />
None of us enjoy pain. Let’s face it: misery<br />
doesn’t feel good. But if we process<br />
and journey through the pain with God, it<br />
can benefit us. It can even make us whole.<br />
Many dark nights helped me learn who<br />
I was and discover hidden strength. More<br />
importantly, they helped me know who<br />
God is and who He has been my whole life.<br />
The Lord used every bit of pain to prepare<br />
me to be His beloved daughter and bride<br />
(Revelation 21:9).<br />
I have been fascinated with God for as<br />
long as I can remember. My mom took my<br />
sister and me to church, and the things of<br />
God were implanted in my heart. I don’t<br />
recall my dad going with us.<br />
Home life wasn’t bad, but Mom seemed<br />
unhappy. We had all the necessities, went<br />
on family vacations, spent many summers<br />
in Florida visiting my grandparents, and<br />
celebrated the holidays. I don’t, however,<br />
remember witnessing expressions of love<br />
in our home. I often longed for the warmth<br />
and comfort of a loving family.<br />
In my early 20s, I learned that my dad<br />
had had multiple affairs while I was grow-<br />
30 <strong>Issue</strong> 01 / <strong>2024</strong><br />
VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM