It Should Hurt

It Should Hurt

When Peyton Manning was released by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 after he had sat out all season because of a neck injury, Colts owner Jim Irsay announced that the team would move in another direction instead of paying Manning the $28 million bonus that he was due. Manning’s return to playing football was suspect, and Irsay did what he thought was best for his franchise.

Manning was clearly shaken up when the moment to say good-bye arrived. While fighting back tears, Manning said, “Nobody loves their job more than I do. Nobody loves playing quarterback more than I do. I still want to play. But there is no other team I wanted to play for. . . . We all know that nothing lasts forever. Times change, circumstances change, and that’s the reality of playing in the NFL.”

One of the things that we should keep in mind is that saying good-bye should hurt if we have lived our lives well. If we have given our all to our family, to our work, to our church community, good-byes should be painful.

When David and Jonathan parted ways, it was a painful good-bye for these best friends. First Samuel 20:41 states, “As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.”

Until it is time to go to that next place, live every day where you are as though it will be the hardest thing for you to leave. If it hurts a lot when you leave, you have lived in that place and that season well.

As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.

1 Samuel 20:41