Remember the crazy cycle from Part 2?
Experience hurt -->
withdraw --> hurt others
Over and over again.
If we could do something to stop this cycle and regain the
ability to have full, healthy, trusting relationships, would we not want to do
so? If we could deal with the pain in our lives so we didn’t have to turn to
our drug(s)
of choice, wouldn’t we want to? If we could have control over our
words, actions and behaviors (with God’s help) wouldn’t we choose that over
being a slave to our bad habits?
Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Satan’s whole purpose is to “steal and kill and destroy”.
Steal from us. Kill us. Destroy us. But God sent His son Jesus to do just the
opposite: to give us LIFE, and LIFE TO THE FULL. Jesus is offering us the best life, the
fullest life, the most abundant life. It’s not just life after death; it’s life here
on Earth too.
What is getting in the way from us grabbing hold of that
abundant life?? We are trying to do it all on our own, without God’s help. WE
are getting in the way of an abundant life.
Becoming a Christian (accepting that Jesus died on the cross
to pay the price for my sins and choosing to surrender my life to Him as my
Lord) is not the end goal. It is only the beginning.
Jesus wants to do so much in our hearts and through our
lives here on Earth, but we have to let Him. We have to surrender over and over
again, allowing Him full access to every corner of our hearts and minds. If we
choose to stay in the crazy cycle and avoid our pain, we are keeping those parts
of our lives from God.
By doing things God’s way, I learned how to have peace with
relationships in my life. Not every relationship is smooth; in fact some are
painful and complicated. But God doesn’t ask us to have everything figured out.
He asks us to forgive people for their parts, and take responsibility for our
own parts. I can tell you first hand that it’s worth it doing things God’s way.
Moving forward from Freedom Session means that I still have
work to do because I have ongoing relationships with people. And I will
for the rest of my life! I will still struggle, hurt others, be hurt, and face
pain. But I have the greatest helper, and I know who I am in Christ. I will
face things as they come and trust God to help me in my (many) weaknesses.
Only God can help me to love and trust fully. People will
always let us down, but God never will. That doesn’t mean that we decide to not
trust people because they will inevitably hurt us. It means that we let God
heal our hurts and put our trust in Him so we can show others unconditional
love.
I simply need to look at my kids to see the joy they have
for life. Children are so happy, so unburdened by worry. Everything is exciting: eating their peas, helping fold the laundry, or seeing their mama after a nap.
When I look at them, I want what they have. I want a full
life.
Jesus is waiting, arm outstretched, hand open, holding
everything we need for a full life. All we need to do is take it; choose God’s
way.
Will you choose it?
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