To Pretend or To Not Pretend.

Why should someone ever have to "pretend like it never happened?"I have heard this phrase so much lately. When something doesn't go the way it is supposed to, why should someone pretend it never happened? Once something happens in life, it will have always happened. You can't change the past, but is there something you can do to help you so it doesn't happen again?

At just 17 years old, a girl that I knew lost her Father after a long battle with a rare disease. Her father was a very strong Christian and we knew he was in a better place. Shortly after his passing, she found out she was pregnant. She now has a very adorable, energetic little boy. What if someone was to tell her to pretend like her dads passing never happened or just pretend like getting pregnant never happened? Its impossible. She has pictures and memories of her Father and there is no way she can pretend like her son just appeared. 

In August 2011 I met my best friend. After only seeing each other once and exchanging phone numbers, in hopes to hang out the next day, she got appendicitis and had to be sent home from working at camp. We barely got a hello before I was on my way home from spending eight weeks working at a camp in Maryland. I was very mad for along time at God for putting this friend in my life and then taking her away, where I would never see her again. 

Over the summer I was  talking with a peer of mine and she told me that she didn't save herself until marriage. She used the exact words, "I could never pretend like losing my virginity never happened because then I would just be lying to myself, others, and God." This made me realize that these things happen and even though we know it is wrong, we are sinners and we do it anyways. Instead of dwelling on what happened, we need to ask for forgiveness. We can't take back the past or change it but we can admit our mistakes and realize that we need to ask God for forgiveness. There is nothing we can hide from him. He sees our every move and every breath. We also need to realize that by pretending things never happened can hurt others. Once we accept we did wrong, we need to ask others for forgiveness as well. 

Toby McKeehan, also known as TobyMac, says, "Cause we all make mistakes sometimes and we've all stepped across that line, there is nothing sweeter than the day we find forgiveness." Imagine if everyone went from pretending to instead forgiving and asking for forgiveness. In all honesty, we live in a world of sin but there is no reason we can't help each other understand our pasts. 

My friend, with the son, has had many talks with her Mother about what happened. Her Mother has forgiven her. She also understands why God decided it was time to take her Father. She knows that he was suffering and has now accepted that. I have also come to thanking God that he put my best friend in my life for only a short time. That short time was just enough to realize that even though we are 2,057 miles away from each other, distance can't keep two friends apart. My peer has also asked her, now husband, for forgiveness for not saving herself for him. She has also started a relationship with God and in the process, asked for his forgiveness for her past. Let's stop pretending things didn't happen and start asking God for forgiveness.