Tetelestai

Photo by Eustaquio Santimano

A friend of mine has recently experienced a pretty major hurt from a church. It's remarkably similar to something that I've gone through and it has opened up some old wounds in my own soul.
It's really strange to me how these things happen. I'll be going along with my life and then out of the blue, I'll be hit with some event that just knocks me flat on my back. It will catch me off guard and everything that I think that I've forgiven, everything I think that has been healed, everything that I think has been put behind me flies up to the front of my brain. It's maddening.
When I get into this mode and I'm feeling the least bit thoughtful as opposed to my normal not-quite-as-thoughtful-but-rather-just-plain-angry self, I wonder, "When will this pain be over? When will I stop feeling hurt by this event that is years in the past? When will I stop letting these opinions dictate how I choose to live my life? When will this be finished?"
I don't think I'm alone in this.
We wonder when we will stop feeling the pain of that broken relationship.
We wonder when we will stop worrying about money.
We wonder when we will stop feeling shame for that negative choice we made.
We wonder when we will stop falling into the same sin again and again and again.
When will it be finished?
And the Holy Spirit whispers a word to me. And I hope to you as well.
Tetelestai.
It is finished.
The work on the cross already addressed whatever it is the plagues you. Your sin, your shortcomings, your inadequacies. It's done. When Jesus uttered those words, it sealed the deal. The only thing that's required of you it to let that reality sink into your soul.
It is finished.
Tetelestai.