Jan. 7 2022
What life lessons did I learn in 2021? How will that help me reset in 2022?
Every new year people talk about looking back at the year just passed and I feel that is a good practice. I think we should do it more often than once a year, but here we are in January 2022, so let’s take a look.
“Deliverance” Was my word last year. I was hit with a major blow to my plans, to my marriage and therefore to my family in October of 2020. My husband at the time was arrested – again. There was, at this time, another revelation of his continued infidelity. My marriage was clearly over at this point – no getting around it. He had chosen his addiction.
My dad, when he found out, called me and said “This is your ‘deliverance from Egypt’. You are free from the bondage now.” This was one of the best conversations I’ve had with him in a long time, and I was so grateful for his compassion. I wasn’t blamed or shamed for the failure of my marriage, I was encouraged to focus on myself and my healing.
Life Lesson 1
Freedom is paramount to God.
The main life lesson was that God values freedom. Sometimes this freedom comes in exactly the way we were hoping it would. Other times (I find it to be most times) it comes in completely surprising, and sometimes difficult, ways. Trusting God to protect you and provide a way out of bondage situations brings peace – the beginning of freedom.
I prayed for, fought for, and expected God to free my husband from his addiction and restore our family in that way. At the same time, I trusted him to do what he knows to be best. A “not my will but yours be done” as well as “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief” prayer. As I learned this important life lesson, I walked it out one day at a time.
I had gotten to the point already where I was wondering if the marriage was over. I had changed my prayers to “Are you telling me to leave now?” before I got that “I’m in jail” phone call in October. That phone call was my very clear answer. God had set me free. Delivered me from my attempts to fix. I was Delivered from the trauma bond that I didn’t even realize I had formed. Did I like the way it happened? No. Absolutely not. However, I am thankful for my freedom and the life lesson learned. I am now able to truly heal. I am able to see who God says I am much more clearly.
Life Lesson 2
Knowing who God says you are is healing
This life lesson was hard earned. However, being set free from that situation helped me to see that my identity wasn’t what I thought it was. When introducing myself, it was common to say “I’m his wife” or “I’m (one of my kids’) mom”. That is not how God sees me. He sees me individually, and I am Royalty. I am Purified, Sanctified, Loved…
There are so many beautiful ways my Good Father identifies me. I have simply to accept it as true – believe it, and walk in that identity. Once I was able to do that I truly began to heal and find my freedom in Christ. Of course, to believe and walk in that identity, I must first know who he is and know who he says I am. Knowing who he is, that is essential to my ability to believe what he says about me.
Life Lesson 3
Deliverance and healing begin with Knowing who God is.
Trust is something that no longer comes as easy for me. It also was something that was very difficult for my ex-husband to do. This was one of the main reasons, I believe, that he found it so hard to get the help he needed. I am thankful I already had a strong foundation in my relationship with God. I already knew by experience who he really was and that I could trust him. This life lesson was more of a reminder for me, but a very necessary and freeing one!
As I walked through this past year, I was fortunate to have found some amazing Christian women’s groups that helped. I was daily in the word and surrounded with wise support. Being able to connect with God’s people and especially his Word was an absolute life saver. I learned so much about who God really is and was able to adjust my thinking to weed out the lies I had previously believed. I was reminded of what I already knew about who God is and what that means for me.
God is
Creator
Love
Forgiving
Good Father
All knowing
All powerful
Truth Speaker
so much more!!!
As you can see, knowing Who God is leads you to be able to trust him, as well as accept what he says about you as truth. His opinion is the only one that matters! And that is one great life lesson that will take you far!
If you want to explore these life lessons more deeply, I have a course coming out soon. You can pre-register here. We will talk all about how we can Know God, know ourselves, and know healing!! There is Deliverance through identity in Christ, let’s find it together! In the meantime, you can get a free set of printable notecards to remind yourself of who God is and therefore who you are by clicking here.
Categories: BETRAYAL TRAUMA IDENTITY IN CHRIST SELF-CARE SPIRITUAL HEALTH
Comments