I copied this from a message from a friend. He sent it to me after I got f'd up and told him what was in my heart. Hope it helps someone. First let me say, this guy has been my friend since he was 16 years old (he's 27 now). He has watched me self-destruct, rise up, only to self destruct again.
It has religious overtones, but it can also apply to someone who can't let go of being mislead and wasting their life.
Here it is:
It was good seeing you guys again the other night too. I realize there's a lot of anger and hurt, but since you've always been honest with me, let me be honest with you. As long as you hold bitterness and anger in your heart towards anybody or any group or any situation, you will never find any happiness or peace in life.
Remember Christ said if you can't forgive someone, he won't forgive you. I've never had to face anything like what you've been through so I really can't relate, but the same biblical principles still apply. If I held bitterness against people for misguiding me for 25 years, I'd be miserable now myself. Instead, I moved past it and I've embraced what I've found to be true and I'm trying to share it with those who mislead me in the first place.
There are no contradictions in the Bible regardless of what somebody might say. The Bible says "His word is forever settled in the heavens", it says "Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my words shall never pass away." He said He is the same "yesterday, today, and forever, I change not." No man can ever change what the Bible teaches. They might twist and distort it, but they can't change the message that is there behind the smoke screen they throw up. The Bible is not open to private interpretation, that's scriptural. It means what it says. We are to be "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone." The foundation was laid by the apostles beginning in 33 AD in the book of Acts. Jesus told them in the last chapter of Luke that "repentance and remission (forgiveness) of sins should be preached in His name beginning at Jerusalem." In Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell in the Upper Room. Peter goes and preaches to the Jewish masses in Jerusalem and tells them that they just crucified the Messiah a month and a half before. It says in Acts 2:37 that they were "pricked in their hearts" or convicted over their sin. They asked "men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter told them in Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost." They were in Jerusalem. They preached repentance. They preached remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ through water baptism. And they told them they would recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost. Not that they would have to beg for it, but that they would recieve it. That's what Jesus was talking to Nicodemus about in John 3. He said we must be "born of water and of the Spirit." Water baptism is where the blood is applied, (lengthy bible study topic) Spirit baptism is the Holy Ghost. Water and Spirit. That's the foundation that was laid. Man has built a new foundation that makes them feel comfortable and more culturaly relevant but it waon't last. It's like the story of the man who built his house upon the sand and the guy that built upon a rock. All the faith I have now is built upon that first salvation message, the teachings of the apostles and prophets, and most of all Jesus Christ.
Nobody will ever change that. I fully believe I was misled (unintentionally) for the first 26 years of my life, but now I believe beyond all doubt that I have finally found the truth. My life this past year has been one blessing right after another. My life has been so much happier and meaningful this past year. I'll continue to pray for you and your family. If you ever need anything you know to call. If you ever have any questions about anything call. Take care. I love you guys.
My friend was raised a Baptist.
