Things I need to work on.
Forgiveness. I need to look on those who have hurt me, intentionally or not. Out of lack of understanding or malice. I need to forgive. I have received forgiveness from people who I have hurt due to not being able to forgive their unintentional harm.
I opened my bible at random and the study section is healing relationships. The key is forgiveness.
The suggestions are:
A truthful view of the offense, neither downplaying or exaggerating. I think this maybe where I am struggling. My mind exaggerates at the moment. Problems seem much larger than they are. However, I am also vulnerable. I am vulnerable to being convinced things are just in my head. I manage to do both in the same thought.
Acknowledge the hurt and emotions that come with that.
I have been hurt. I have felt judged, abandoned, lost, despised and abnormal. I have felt alone in my suffering and unwanted.
Forgive freely.
I forgive those whose actions have hurt me, whether intentionally or not.
Confess:
God I am sorry. Rather than falling to you I have held on to bitterness and resentment. They have made me behave in ways that do not bring you glory. Please restore me and allow me to move forward.
I really pray the relationships that are on shaky ground can be restored and thankful for those who love me when I don't deserve love.
Forgiving myself
This one is trickier. I see my actions as both reasonable and abhorrent. As a self critic more often the latter. I dwell. I wore it makes me a bad person. I worry people will think I am a bad person. I worry I am not the kind and servant hearted friend I was once thought of. I hate myself for not recognising the needs of my friends. Not responding the way I should. I try to think of ways to make it better. I apologise but feel no relief.
Thing is I know none of us are good. Even those full of grace, and who shine love and competency in everything they do. I know the great thing about confessing is that it is all covered. God has sorted it. I know this. I truly and deeply believe this. It is so hard still to live this. I need to work on this.
Pretty much exactly 5 months after my last church attendance I returned today. Since my last time I had only seen 3 people from the congregation face to face. People who live in my town. Who I've seen at least twice a week for years, I'd seen so few of them. Children had grown. Newborn babies now starting to move. Barely bumps now earth side. There were a few new faces too. We decided to go today because we had been invited for Sunday lunch by a couple from church. The sweet, kind hearted, godly doctor who was on duty the weekend I was first taken to hospital. I didn't give myself a choice this morning. I'd set up an excuse not to go for lunch already. Our car was broken. It was true, it was, but I knew it would be fixed in time to go. So I got up and we went. I'd spoken with my counsellor about not feeling it was my home any longer. That I wasn't part of the fellowship anymore. That physically I didn't know where to sit. Our usual seats, middle,front, with ...
Comments
Post a Comment