How to Heal After the Reveal – Life Lesson 1 | Say What? Handling being Caught Off Guard
At the moment you learn a piece of information that changes your life, what is the first response? I have had this conversation numerous times and the principles that emerge are the same each time. As you are entering the Lenten Season, you may have areas in your life that need an approach that lead to healing. When you hear or have a life-changing story such as mine, people will ask “How do you respond to something like that?” The ‘something like that’ was the day I was told that my father who raised me was not my biological father. Now in 2012 it may not be as uncommon, but as a child of the 60’s, there are things that will forever remain taboo; things that are not meant to be talked about. Ever. It is strangely amazing how a moment such as this can provide your existence with a level of clarity. It is with these moments that you ask yourself long after it has settled in your brain “Is this new knowledge handling me?” or “Am I handling this knowledge and incorporating it into my life?” This and other profound moments are what I call “game changers.” A game changing moment causes you to have pause on what you know, who taught it to you, what others knew, when they knew, how you think, feel, react, and so on. I can say it is easy to want to go back to bed and bury your head under the covers.
It is becoming all too common for people of faith to check out on life. Depressed. Despondent. Disengaged. These are three words that negate our ability to hear God speak, and rely on Him to move us from a state of despair. When our emotions take over our thinking, it is difficult at best to physically respond to anything happening around us. And sometimes what happens to us. In order to heal from what has been revealed in this situation, here are a few life applications to help you on your journey.
1. Hear what the other person is saying: Sometimes when we are given information that is confusing to us, we have a tendency to not listen. The words are coming to us, but we are not processing the meaning of what is being said to us. Stop and think for a moment why the information you are learning did not come to you sooner. Factors such as age, maturity, respect for your elders, and timing may have been prohibitive.
2. Take time to process your true feelings: I was summoned to my mother’s hour 20-years ago so the processing of ‘how bad is this visit going to be’, started on my drive to the house. If I didn’t know anything else, I knew there is no time like the present to address the situation. And, I did. I walked around the block, then got in my car and drove around the block, and came back in the house to ask my mother why she felt it was important to keep this information from me. On this day, the healing began for two people.
3. Accept it is ok if your feelings are still the same: Puzzled. Bewildered. Betrayed. Embarrassed. Uncertain. Upset. The key is to be open for healing to start. Healing will not begin unless your heart is willing to allow itself to be healed.
Many people around you may question your ‘faith status’ when you refuse to talk to God, blend in with your peers, or even participate in your own healing process when going through a healing process. There is no denying the reality of our pain. The feelings are real. The hurt is real. The disbelief is real. Once you have a revealing moment, how you recover will mean the difference between learning from the experience or possibly retreating altogether. There is a tremendous amount of pain and suffering in our world, but little else compares to the personal suffering of a Christian. Why? A Christian is considered to be a person who relies on scripture, God, and the testimony of other believers to make it through times of difficulty.
In order to live free you have to be free! And, if already free then walk in your liberation!
Join Jacquie Hood Martin for online Bible study Wednesday @ 1 PM EDT. Our study will focus on the book of Philippians. Start reading this chapter now to be prepared for our study. To sign up for a reminder visit the online Bible study page.
You may review our previous online bible studies focusing on Ephesians, Galatians, Romans and 1 Corinthians, by visiting our online Bible study archive.
Starting Feb. 29, 2012 @ 8:30 PM EDT join Jacquie Hood Martin for an open book study.
Stay tuned for more details, subscribe to our e-Newsletter and join us Feb. 29th on http://www.freeconferencing.com/ (meeting ID #174-935-400) or call 712-432-0900 (meeting ID #173904) to join the conversation.