Whether a relationship once broken can be mended or not, restoration for the wounded heart is possible. That takes learning to trust God. Here are 4 guideposts to help you find that place of trust and restoration.
Praise God. In the middle of the ugliness, it can feel like there is no good, but if we pause and look at EVERYTHING around us, We may be surprised at what we see.
One day I made a “thank you God” list. Thank you I didn’t hit the deer on the side of the road. Thank you I got an extra 20 minutes sleep. Thank you for…(fill in the blank). I did this all day long. Every small detail.
One day I made a “thank you God” list. Thank you I didn’t hit the deer on the side of the road. Thank you I got an extra 20 minutes sleep. Thank you for…(fill in the blank). I did this all day long. Every small detail.
It helped me remember He is in charge. And it helped me to see the good things in my life. All from Him. Whether you keep a journal or not, remember who holds you in His hands and praise Him for it. Even in the middle of the mess.
Release the situation to God. I find it too easy to replay a movie of the situation in my head and rehash the outcome. What could I have done differently? How in the world could he/she do that to me? Like picking a scab and not allowing a wound to heal.
Accepting the fact that I can’t change what’s happened, that I can’t change the other person, and that I can’t fix it, sets the stage for letting the one who can – do so.
When I choose to turn my focus to God, the rest fades into the background and allows God to work in my life and bring the healing and comfort I need.
Journaling helps me in this process. The act of writing it down is a physical way of releasing things to God.
Ask for help. I tend to avoid asking for help because of the fear of being rejected or being a burden to someone. But as long as I isolate myself it’s easy to keep the movie going in my head. Easy to get stuck in that messy place.
God’s church is His hands to hold and hug us. But it is important to be wise about whom we go to. To remember that we are going for help for ourself, not to bash and gossip about what the other person may or may not have done.
Pray about whom to lean on, whether to a friend to pray with, a counselor or taking part in a support group of some kind. Then seek that help out. The burden is much lighter when shared.
God’s church is His hands to hold and hug us. But it is important to be wise about whom we go to. To remember that we are going for help for ourself, not to bash and gossip about what the other person may or may not have done.
Pray about whom to lean on, whether to a friend to pray with, a counselor or taking part in a support group of some kind. Then seek that help out. The burden is much lighter when shared.
Yield to His work in your life. Finding purpose in the pain helps me to keep moving. A lot of things in this life do not make sense. But….we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him…Romans 8:28. He doesn’t promise it will all be good, but that whatever is thrown at us will be for our good.
Most of the pain that has stopped on my doorstep I wouldn’t choose, but I wouldn’t change them either, because it is in these experiences that I have grown the closest to God.
Have you experienced a time in your life when God brought good out of brokenness?
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photo credit: www.freedigitalphotos.net // Idea go
I agree that being grateful in the midst of difficult times helps us see that not everything is falling apart, even when it seems like we are! Thanks for the reminder, Angela!