CHRISTIAN PARENTS of ESTRANGED ADULT CHILDREN Community Group
Estrangement makes it difficult to talk about with family, friends, neighbors and church members. Christians are NOT immune to broken families. Talk about your experiences with those who know how you feel and get positive support through your Christian faith...."In these last days difficult times will come, for men will be lovers of self...disobedient to parents,...
I've been hurt badly - yet again by my EC. EC violated my trust and shut the door I opened. So now its up to me to choose what I want to do with that.
At first, I was outraged and justifiibly so. EC's behavior is mean and callous. But I don't have to let that behavior dominate my thoughts or my life. I don't have to let it change who I am. I don't have to let it remove the love, hope and faith that I want in my life. I don't have to let it steal my joy because even in sorrow, we can find joy.
I don't have to harbor resentment, bitterness and anger - although all of these feelings are natural and even justified when others are abusive to us. But if I let myself be consumed with these emotions, I give power to someone else's bad behavior and in turn I hurt myself emotionally, spiritually and physically.
Do I keep begging, bribing, calling and grovelling? No. Do I stop being outraged at abusive behavior - no. I see it for what it is and let the natural emotions come, but then I release. Not shut the door in my EC's face. Not retaliate. Not attack. Not hate. I release.
I release everything negative. I release everything evil. I release the estrangement. I no longer let it have power over me. And with it I release my EC and his actions and his life to God.
When I release, I forgive because forgiveness brings me freedom and peace. When I release I no longer let another's wrong action shame me, blame me or control my life. When I release I give back to my EC his choices, his actions and all his negative emotions. I don't carry the weight of them any more. They don't belong to me. When I release, I again find compassion for my EC because he is lost and without the light of God in his life. When I release, I pray that my EC will find God and I give my EC to God trusting that God knows best how to handle the estrangement.
Today, I am free again. Free to love and hope and live in joy no matter what my circumstances are with my EC.
At first, I was outraged and justifiibly so. EC's behavior is mean and callous. But I don't have to let that behavior dominate my thoughts or my life. I don't have to let it change who I am. I don't have to let it remove the love, hope and faith that I want in my life. I don't have to let it steal my joy because even in sorrow, we can find joy.
I don't have to harbor resentment, bitterness and anger - although all of these feelings are natural and even justified when others are abusive to us. But if I let myself be consumed with these emotions, I give power to someone else's bad behavior and in turn I hurt myself emotionally, spiritually and physically.
Do I keep begging, bribing, calling and grovelling? No. Do I stop being outraged at abusive behavior - no. I see it for what it is and let the natural emotions come, but then I release. Not shut the door in my EC's face. Not retaliate. Not attack. Not hate. I release.
I release everything negative. I release everything evil. I release the estrangement. I no longer let it have power over me. And with it I release my EC and his actions and his life to God.
When I release, I forgive because forgiveness brings me freedom and peace. When I release I no longer let another's wrong action shame me, blame me or control my life. When I release I give back to my EC his choices, his actions and all his negative emotions. I don't carry the weight of them any more. They don't belong to me. When I release, I again find compassion for my EC because he is lost and without the light of God in his life. When I release, I pray that my EC will find God and I give my EC to God trusting that God knows best how to handle the estrangement.
Today, I am free again. Free to love and hope and live in joy no matter what my circumstances are with my EC.
Yes, when the hurt was fresh, it was somewhat difficult to not feel really negative emotions..but I have released those negative emotions and therefore have released my sisters, my mother, my estranged son and his wife and I have forgiven them in my heart of hearts..I am free from those emotions today. God has been giving me a supernatural peace in my situation..and a peace that surpasses all understanding. What you said about forgiveness is so true..it allows me to release the evil, and it does not have a chance to take root..the root of bitterness, because of this awesome forgiveness that God has been helping me process in my inner being. I have been forgiven by the Lord because of Jesus Christ's death on the cross..and His forgiveness, grace and mercy are available to me every single moment of my day. Thank you dear sister for sharing this post..it is positive, and will help anyone who reads it. God bless you for writing this..yes..I am free to love and hope and live in joy..no matter my circumstances. Philippians 4 vs 4: "Rejoice in the Lord always, Again I say rejoice!"