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Out of Darkness

3/29/2017

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light..."-- I Peter 2:9(NKJV)

I recall as a teenager, whenever I went out in the evening, my parents would always leave the outside light on for me. It comforting and reassuring to see the light on as I parked my car and walked into the house. For me, it was an acknowledgment that my parents knew I was out (at night and in the dark) and that they were awaiting my return. The light signaled an invitation. It was as if they were saying, "Come on in. We're waiting for you."

For many of us, there is something about darkness that is uncomfortable. Research shows that physical darkness and the depravation of light impacts the human psyche and overall mental health. Most of us like being able to see where we are going, what we are doing, and who is around us. There is a sense of relief and security that settles us when there is light. If you've ever experienced a power outage during a storm, for example, I'm sure you felt better when the lights clicked on and power was restored! Humanly speaking, we are not equipped to live in darkness--science proves this.

Well, it's the same in the Spirit realm. Spiritual darkness is not for the believer, which is why I Peter 2:9 is so special. We are told that God has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. This is good news!

Consider the Greek meanings of some of the words in the I Peter 2:9 passage:

called: (G2564) kaleo--to call aloud, to invite, to call by name, to bid
darkness: (G4655) skotos--darkness, obscurity, ungodliness, immorality, deeds done in darkness
marvelous: (G2298) thaumastos--excellent, extraordinary, passing human comprehension
light: (G5457) phos--heavenly light

As believers, God has sovereignly and personally invited each of us out of darkness into his light. To put it another way, God has called us out of anything and everything that is unlike Him--lies, shame, deception, manipulation, loneliness, self-deprecation, rejection, abandonment, hopelessness, woe, despair, hatred, envy, rage, immorality, addictions, vengeance, and so on. He invites us by name into his marvelous light. In his light there is joy, peace, satisfaction, hope, acceptance, security, wellness, power, purpose, warmth, love, provision, healing, grace, forgiveness, help, etc.

If you are feeling as though you are living in darkness; you have been given access to light. You do not have to live in spiritual darkness a moment longer.

Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I confess that I feel encircled in the darkness of hurt, shame, gossip, slander, bitterness, self-condemnation, restlessness, hidden/secret sins, and confusion. Forgive me. By faith, I turn to you. I accept and receive the good things that your light brings to my life. I receive your truth, your acceptance, your love, your peace, and hope. Amen and so be it according to your word.

Scriptures for Contemplative Prayer and Meditation

Ephesians 5:5
I Thessalonians 1:17
James 1:17
I John 1:5

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Honesty

3/23/2017

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"I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies."--Psalm 6:6-7(NLT)

The Bible describes King David as a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). Could it be that he was a man after God's own largely due to his emotional honesty, even in the face of great opposition? Think about it. It did not matter if David was sad, angry, repentant, scared, weary, worried, anxious, or overwhelmed--because he had cultivated a relationship with God over time (through prayer, praise, and worship), he understood the importance of emotional honesty. Psalm 6 is a perfect example. Can you get more honest than, "I'm worn out from sobbing"? David's is describing the gut-wrenching "ugly" cry!

We are very proficient at wearing masks and putting on a good façade, but we need not do that with God. He know us from the inside-out (Psalm 139:1-4). When we withhold our hearts from the Father, we miss out on experiencing his peace, joy, comfort, and reassurance. We can also become prone to even more emotional distress and physical maladies.

If emotional honesty before God seems challenging or difficult. Consider King David. He was not perfect. He came from an imperfect family. He was born out of wedlock (Psalm 51:5). He was disregarded by his father (I Samuel 16). There was evidence of sibling rivalry (I Samuel 17:38). He was berated by a giant (I Samuel 17:42-44). He was an adulterer (2 Samuel 11). He was the object of great hatred and envy by King Saul (I Samuel 18). And, his own son, Absalom usurped his throne (2 Samuel 15). David experienced much hurt and brokenness in his life, but God delivered him every time (Psalm 34:19 and 37:25) because of his decision to be emotionally honest.

Scriptural References:

Psalm 3
Psalm 31
Psalm 57
Psalm 61
Psalm 91

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Inner Healing

3/15/2017

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"Lord, heal me and I will be completely well; rescue me and I will be perfectly safe..."
--Jeremiah 17:11(GNT)

Inner Healing. Perhaps you have heard this term before; but what is it? What does it mean?

Inner healing is the wholeness, freedom, and wellness that comes to our soul when we bring our emotional hurt, pain, wounds, and bruises before the Father. He is "Jehovah Rapha", the Lord God who heals.

We live in fallen, broken, depraved world where sin abounds. Soul wounds that originated from suppressed or unresolved childhood trauma, inner turmoil, and emotional distress lead us to search out ways to self-soothe and cope--even if it is a "temporary fix". We will employ almost anything to "feel" better and numb pain; substance abuse, alcoholism, pornography and sexual immorality, avoidance, retreating/social withdrawal and isolation, blaming, shaming others, gossip, slander, explosive anger and rage, as well as self-harming behaviors and tendencies. The difficulty with these efforts is that they DO NOT help. They bring more harm and detriment to our souls; and often effect our relationships with others as those in our circles become impacted by our words, actions, thoughts, behaviors. It's a bleak picture, right? Well, I have Good News! This is why Jesus came! He came to minister healing, even at the soul level.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come."--Luke 4:18-19(NLT)

The Hebrew word for HEAL is "rapha'" (H7495) meaning "to heal a wounded person by sewing up the wound" and "to restore to pristine felicity"! This IS good news because the healing power of Jesus is strong enough to restore us to a state of joy, peace, safety, wholeness, and wellness that is divine and as God originally intended.

You may be thinking, "Sounds good, but I've lived foul. I've done some vile, low-down things." Consider the word of Jesus:

And Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but [only] those who are sick. I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].”--Luke 5:31-32(AMP)

Jesus ministered to all manner of people; the poor, the adulterer, the sick, the sly and manipulative, the tormented and distressed, the bitter, the angry and offended, the forgotten and ostracized. No one is beyond the reach of our loving Father's arms.

If you find yourself somewhere in this blog post, I hope that you will allow the truth of God's word to hit your heart. No brokenness is beyond repair. When we honestly and transparently bring our laments, our disappointments, and the wounds of our soul to God in prayer, he promises to heal and restore.

Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I confess that my heart is broken. I experienced____________ as a child and I was greatly wounded by it. I give you the pain of this experience. I ask you to heal me. I have done some things that have not been good as a result, like_________ and_________. I pray that you would forgive me now. I ask you to fill me with your love, peace, and security. Blanket my thoughts with your warmth and compassion. I receive your goodness and mercy now. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, I'd love to hear from you. Please email me at:
lauri@abrokenheartsgps.org

Hebrew definitions from Strong's Exhaustive Biblical Concordance

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When Trauma Takes Your Dream

3/9/2017

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"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."--Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

I recall a young woman who shared her story of early childhood trauma. As a young adult, she was an unemployed, single-parent with a history of domestic violence and substance abuse. She was full of despair, fear, and hopelessness. Her story is not uncommon. So many have experienced early childhood trauma and are still struggling to overcome its devastating effects.

As children, we all have a basic need to feel safe and secure; these components enable us to grow and thrive. When we are in environments that are warm and nurturing, we feel empowered to dream and be hopeful about our future. Conversely, when there is abuse, trauma, neglect, or abandonment, our survival instincts are activated. We are no longer forward-focused and hopeful, we are just trying to endure day by day.

The young woman previously mentioned had lost her ability to dream.   "Survival mode" kicked in early childhood and continued to be the driving force of her life as a young adult. She had experienced so much trauma that as a child she never pondered the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Survival had become her occupation. The idea of dream building or being hopeful and excited about the future was foreign to her.

How many of us can identify with this young woman?  Well, there is hope and good news for her and for you! No matter what we may have experienced in our childhoods, that we invariably carry into adulthood, it does not negate the truth of God's word. He has good plans for us--those plans entail a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11)! God is excited about the good plans he has for us. He wants us to be hopeful too. It may feel scary to embrace hope. It may feel uncomfortable to be excited about our future. So, may I encourage you to allow faith to hit your heart?  Accept and acknowledge God's word (his promise) to be true for your life.  No matter your history, God has good plans for your future.

Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray for those who have experienced trauma and have lost their ability to dream or have hope. We decree your word over our lives--you have good plans for us! We rest in your promises. Restore our ability to dream. Restore our ability to hope. Heal every emotional wound. We confess our brokenness, despair, hurt, and trauma before you. Thank you for the grace to overcome soul wounds (Romans 8:37).  Thank you for victory. We receive it now. Amen and so be it according to your word.

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Out of Darkness

Honesty

Inner Healing

When Trauma Takes Your Dream

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