To be honest, which means I'm being vulnerable with
you…
We tend to hide the truth if it makes us look bad,
weak, wrong, or—fill in the blank with your personal reasons.
I know I have. The truth is…
I've only shown y'all one side of me—the good
side, the side you might want to associate with, or the side you can relate to. Maybe I'm not your best bud—we have only one or just a few—because being the BFF
with someone is a niche, not a basketful of treats like we get trick-or-treating.
But frankly—yeah, that means I'm about to open up…
Got your attention now?
Yeah! What's the scoop with you?
Everyone loves (come on, admit it, you do, too) a
bit of the inside story. Like, did anyone even consider that Robin Williams was
in a chronic state of depression that began with his lonely childhood with
absentee parents? He was undoubtedly the funniest guy on earth with the series "Mork
& Mindy."
Yet, he represents the mask many of us wear to
hide what is truly happening inside our souls.
So, let's be frank about losing a loved one—whether
they have passed on to the other side or they are still with us, but the
relationship is estranged.
Estranged.
Sounds strange.
But it's all too common.
People we love that don't love us.
And when they are blood relatives, that hurts the
most.
What skewers the heart more than anything is when
your son(s) and/or daughter(s) are estranged from you as a parent. It should be
apparent that this topic is directed at the parent (pun intended). The focus of
this topic is not a blame game to dissect and determine who's at fault.
Some of us, in some form or fashion, deal with what
could be a debilitating problem for either parent or child or both.
This blog is not a study of the causes but a call
for the supernatural healing of hearts. If you want to investigate why people
become estranged from each other, you can google "What is estrangement between
parent and child."
But so we are on the same page as to what I am
referring to, this sums it up:
Estrangement refers
to the breakdown or severe weakening of a parent's and child's relationship. This can
result in little to no communication, emotional distance, and a lack of
involvement in each other's lives.
We all make mistakes, regardless of how "holy" we
think we are or whether we consider ourselves a "good" person. But we might need to be made aware of some of those mistakes.
And let's add in the "perception" of the person "perpetrating"
the estrangement.
Big words: perception and perpetrating. Let's
break down their meanings for the purpose of this blog.
Our perception of someone refers to how we view,
understand, and interpret another person. Perception is
subjective, as seen through the eyes of the person perceiving another. In other
words, perception does not have to match reality.
What is "reality"? In essence, reality is
the objective truth, while perception is the subjective interpretation of that
truth. For example, two people might perceive the same event differently based
on their unique perspectives, but the actual event (reality) remains the same. Our perceptions can be influenced by our beliefs, attitudes, and past
experiences, which can sometimes lead to a distorted or incomplete
understanding of reality.
The "event" might not have occurred or could have
been contrived. In other words, it was made up or staged for a nefarious
purpose to denigrate another person's reputation. For example, a divorced
parent pits a child against the other parent.
You might see what this thread of thought is sewing:
Estrangement can result in the death of a relationship that can be as grieving
as losing the life of a loved one.
Which is worse: The grief of a departed loved one, but
with the hope and belief to embrace them again in Heaven (assuming that you
believe and have faith that Christ has redeemed your soul for eternal life with
Him and other believers in Heaven).
Or
The grief of a parent or child estranged from the
other, hoping for reconciliation but not knowing that it will ever occur
regardless of what you believe or who you place your faith in—because God
grants each and every one of us the power of choice. We can choose to love
someone or not. Love is a heart issue.
This Bible verse that I read today caused me to
muse on divorce, estrangement, death, and love. I hope it inspires you to:
forgive the person with whom you are estranged,
extend an offering of peace,
embrace with loving arms someone who returns after
a period of absence.
Remember this: Hurt people, hurt people.
Be gracious and merciful with one another and show
empathy and compassion to all, for although their situation may differ from
yours, we all come from the same God, the I AM who made us in His image. Forgive
one another just as God has forgiven you, and love one another just as God
loves you.
The following is inspired by Ezekiel 35:26 and taken
from the app The Bible Verse—
God is saying to you today:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit
within you.
The heaviness that you carry, the burdens that weigh
upon your soul,
I will lift them from you and replace them with Peace.
I see the areas of your life where your heart has
grown weary,
where Hope has faded and where the struggles of
life have hardened you.
But know this, My Beloved,
I Am the God
Who transforms,
Who renews,
Who breathes life
into what seems broken.
Your heart, though it may feel as though it has
turned to stone,
will be renewed by My Touch.
I am removing the barriers
that have kept you from fully experiencing My Love,
and I am replacing your heart of stone with
a heart of flesh,
a heart that beats with compassion,
a heart that is tender to My Voice,
a heart open to the beauty and goodness I bring
into your life.
Do not be afraid of the change that is coming.
This renewal is not meant to harm you but to draw
you closer to Me.
I am preparing you for a new season,
a season where your spirit will soar unburdened by
the past.
You may not understand the process right now,
but trust that I am doing deep work within you.
I am reshaping you from the inside out,
creating in you a spirit aligned with My Will,
one that reflects
My Love,
My Peace,
My Grace.
The struggles you've faced,
the pain you've endured,
I am using all of it to bring about something new.
What once felt lifeless
will now be filled with purpose.
What once seemed broken
will now radiate with wholeness.
As you walk with Me,
you will begin to notice the shift:
Your thoughts will be renewed.
Your outlook will change.
Your spirit will find rest in my presence.
This is my promise to you:
I am not only healing your wounds,
but I am also restoring your heart,
giving you a new spirit free from the
burdens of the past.
Let go of the bitterness,
the resentment and the pain that hold you captive,
for I am replacing them
with Joy,
with Hope,
with Peace that surpasses all understanding.
This transformation is a gift from Me to you,
and it is rooted in My deep Love for you.
So, My Child,
open your heart to receive everything I am doing.
Trust that this is the beginning of a new chapter,
one filled with grace and renewal.
I am not finished with you yet.
There is so much more that I have planned for you,
and it begins with this new heart I'm giving you.
If you receive this message, comment: "God is giving me a new heart," and share this message with someone who needs to know that---
Transformation is coming.
