Five three word phrases that could not only change your life but could indeed, change the world! How many of us have pain from the past that we've never dealt with? How many of us have inflicted pain on someone we've never apologized for? How many of us will never trust again because of an injustice done to us long ago? How many of us haven't been able to live again, love again, indeed, thrive again because of the pain of the past? How many of us have built walls around ourselves and then wonder why we're lonely? Because of pain we've suffered, how many have turned and hurt others (often those we love and who love us)? How many of us are broken people who put up a brave and prideful front and live in fear every day?

Interesting questions for one to pose on Christmas Eve! One of the reasons for Jesus the Christ becoming man is listed in God's word. He came to heal the broken hearted! I can't help but say He came to heal mine then! I know because I can answer "Yes, that's me!" to most of the above questions!

The fourth of the five phrases is easy! People don't like to use the fourth because of pride! "He/she hurt me but I survived! I did it! I lived through it! I'm back on top!" If you're a child of God the plentiful use of the word "I" in this declaration demonstrates pride. It was the Lord who helped you through! It was the Lord who picked you up just like He picked me up!  Pride always stands in the way of forgiveness! A lack of forgiveness always stands in the way of living a normal, Godly and righteous, thriving life! Jesus said "those who do not forgive will not be forgiven!"

Forgiveness! The very idea is great when someone else forgives us but when we must forgive the idea sometimes seems foreign! The abused becoming the abuser is not just a concept repeated on "Law & Order, SVU!" Unless we forgive-unless we die to self and become Christ-like, we will most likely do unto others and someone has done unto us! History, indeed, the front page of America's newspapers are rife with examples every day!

"Oh, but you don't know what he/she did to me!" Does it matter? Are we so arrogant today that we think we're the only ones who've ever been ________!" Fill in the blank! It's been just about 2,000 years since a sinless Jewish Rabbi was nailed to a Roman cross1 He suffered scourging for us! 39 lashes with a Roman cat-of-nine-tails that nearly skinned Him alive. Stripes for our forgiveness! Stripes by which we are healed of our broken hearts! A sacrifice that bore our sin, yours and mine, so not only could we be whole again but have the courage to say, "I forgive you" even to people who could care less! Courage to once again say,

"I love you!" Ah, what a concept! How many marriages could have been saved? If hurt feelings were weighed by the pound, how many trillions of tons would dissolve away into nothing by healing and once again saying, "I love you" and really mean it from a new heart birthed by forgiveness?

Ahh, there is that one remaining stumbling block! Trust! A Christian is supposed to trust in God. A Christian, even one who's been hurt, should trust in the Lord God! A Christian should never be found standing defiantly shaking his/her fist declaring, "I'll never trust another man/woman again!" That very declaration is a demonstration that he/she doesn't trust in God either.

Jesus came to set us free from fear, pride and brooding over what he/she did to us! "For whom the son sets free is free indeed!" It's funny! If I were to preach this as a sermon I'd be admonished to borrow and compact mirror from one of the ladies in the congregation and place it open on the pulpit so I'd be preaching to myself.

The way I see it! The way scripture sees it, pride, fear and brooding are among the spirits/demons that attack us every day! They take their place alongside lies, murder, hate, gossip, grumbling, pornography and blasphemy! We are admonished in scripture to "put on the whole armor of God" in order that we are not broken! In order that we can get back up when we fall. In order that we can acknowledge that it was the Lord God who picked us up and not we ourselves lest we become puffed up and prideful! In order that we might bless the Lord for the people He sends into our lives to help us up!

God loves broken people! God blesses broken and fallen people. His love embraces us in such a way that demons and spirits flee! He embraces us in such a way that we can say, "I am sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me! I forgive you! I love you!" Then we can add a new phrase, "Thank you, Jesus!"

We live in a world today where broken people, hurt people, abandoned people, confused people, destitute people and lonely people can come to Jesus and be healed! We live in a world today that wants to have the warm fuzzies when they walk out of their church! A world where the truth is no longer appreciated! A world where broken people, bound by their past, abound!