Life Lessons from The Help- Pain Happens in a Broken World

By Poppy Smith –

Have you read or seen the movie, The Help? If you have, you know it is a story about racism and the treatment of black maids who worked for white people in the South. People’s reactions range from outrage at the humiliation blacks have often received, to charges that it was biased and untrue.

I came out of the movie grieving. I not only felt wretched at the pain racism causes, but also at the hurt and suffering that comes when people mistreat others. Pain Happens in a Broken World. Being cruel to others, whether by actions or words, happens in every culture for many reasons: because individuals think they are superior for some reason due to their skin color, gender, position in society, wealth, or education. Whatever the reasons, they all flow from a sinful heart.

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• Have you known what it is like to be looked down on, dismissed as unimportant, or made to feel unwanted? Have you experienced cruelty of some kind? How did it make you feel?

• Have you wrestled with anger, wanting to get revenge, or feeling crushed and of no worth? In The Help, one of the poorly treated maids gets her revenge in a startling way. But revenge is God’s prerogative, and not ours to take (Romans 12:19).

• Your pain might have come from someone you work with, live next to, or go to school with. Its source could be a relative or close family. Even fellow believers hurt others when operating in the flesh and not the Spirit. But no matter where your pain originated, it is something God wants to heal.

• God Cares About You. Why should He care? Why does He call you to forgive those who have harmed you? Because He loves you and wants the appalling power of bitterness, hatred, and inner rage to stop poisoning your heart and your life.

• God’s Path to Healing. How can you and I, followers of the Lord Jesus, indwelt by His Mighty and All-powerful Spirit, find freedom from pain? Only by forgiving the one, or many, who caused our pain.

Three necessary principles for dealing with pain:

• Reject blame and bitterness. It doesn’t move you forward. It chains you to the past.

• Pray for willingness to forgive. It is a process that often requires time to work through.

• Forgive the offender. Be willing to release that person from your desire for revenge, or even for an apology. Realize they most likely have moved on and forgotten the incident. Remembering is only hurting you. Let it go.

Remember something else: the Lord is our Healer. He wants you to experience joy, no matter how much pain you have experienced. He wants you to THRIVE in every aspect of your life. And He has provided a way for this to happen! Will you walk in it?

 

With her fun personality and passion for communicating life-changing truths, Poppy Smith inspires believers to thrive spiritually and personally. Poppy’s practical how-to messages (in print or in person) uses colorful examples from her own struggles to be more like Jesus. She encourages women (and men, at times) to grow in every kind of situation—whether joyful or painful! Poppy is British, married to an American, and has lived in many countries. She brings an international flair seasoned with humorous honesty as she illustrates Bible truths. A former Bible Study Fellowship Lecturer, Poppy’s teaching challenges women to look at their choices, attitudes and self-talk. As a result, God’s speaks, changing hearts, changing minds, and changing lives.

1 thought on “Life Lessons from The Help- Pain Happens in a Broken World”

  1. I have not yet seen the movie, The Help, but, after reading this article I want to see it and I really want to read Poppy Smith’s book Pain happens in a Broken World. I have been looked down on, dismissed as unimportant and treated as useless, etc, etc. due to medical issues that limit my energy, strength, etc. The cruel and hurtful words and actions have come from strangers, teachers, employers, friends and even family. There are times when I have been unable to let go of the pain, and there are people and situations I have been unable to forget and unable to forgive even though I am a Christian and know I should. I know the Lord is the only one who can heal my pain and allow me to forgive. So, there are times I need reminding of this and I also need to be shown how to reach out to God for help and healing. I look forward to reading Poppy Smith’s book. Sadly, as well as my own medical issues that cause others to sometimes say hurtful things. I got to see first hand the cruelty of racism. My fiancee and I spent a summer in the small town in Texas, where he had lived. for most of his life. As a couple we were recipients of some of hurtful remarks , since we are a mixed race couple, I am cauciasian and he is negro. I was able to forgive these people and their remarks more easily than I have at times with remarks to me due to my medical issues. I also saw the damage being unable to forgive can do as I got to see the pain and hurt that my fiancee had and still suffers from due to the racism that still continues in that area. Thank you for this article

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Life Lessons from The Help- Pain Happens in a Broken World
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