More today on pain and brokenness. I am learning more about this every day. I believe there are layers or levels of both pain and brokenness. I began feeling pain last fall. I still feel it today. What is the difference between then and now? Brokenness. Surrender. What instead of why. I not only resigned my job but also my heart. Instead of fighting God I am beginning to swim in his current for my life. I don’t have all the answers (the what’s) figured out, but then I don’t believe God wants it that way. He speaks in the journey more than the destination.
One of my reactions and coping skills to my pain was anger! It’s difficult sometime to focus my anger on God, but pretty easy to focus it on people. Something my 14 year old daughter Emily said to me recently, revealed my anger to me up close. God used her to hold up the mirror to me. I saw what a butt-head (thinking stronger language here)I was. I was sinning in my anger and projecting it on those closest to me. What a wuss.
Once I was honest with God about my anger and surrendered it to him, something amazing happened. He took it all away. He lifted a huge burden off my spirit. Venom was replaced with love. Spite was changed to kindness. Futility was exchanged for hope. Frustration was transformed into peace. God’s peace. The kind that is impossible to explain.
Note: If you know someone who is struggling with pain, anger, bitterness, depression, bipolar, anxiety or other mental disorders tell them about my blog. I know God wants to use my “experience” to communicate God’s grace, hope, and healing to others. Thanks!
Something I have been thinking a lot about lately is pain and brokenness.
Everyone experiences pain, but many never experience brokenness.
Pain will drive you to do things you normally would not do.
Brokenness will drive you to your knees and let God do things in your life that he would not normally do.
Pain causes people to ask God question why?
Brokenness causes people to ask God what?
People in pain learn to cope.
Broken people learn to surrender.
Note: For those of you who are my friends from Fellowship, please help me get the word out to your life group or friends about my blog. There is no longer a link to Cremeansblog.com on Fellowship’s web site. I want to stay connected to as many of you as possible!
One of the aspects of leaving FC that I’ll miss the most is being part of the relationship we had with Buddy Thigpen. This was the first summer I didn’t have the opportunity to spend some time in Russia serving along side of Buddy. We will stay connected even though I’m leaving FC and I will be in Russia again sometime in the future, God willing. Buddy wrote a cool tribute to our partnership that I wanted to share with you. I hope you will take the time to check it out by clicking here.
I’m excited about meeting Tommy Sparger, pastor of North Point Church in Springfield, MO for lunch today. I got to hear him speak twice this past weekend and he was spot on. He is one of the most enthusiastic speakers I have ever heard. Sounds like he is a cowboy fan…nobody is perfect!
I think my dad really likes lemon in his water!
Sent from my iPhone
My parents: Chuck and Mary
Sent from my iPhone
Fear. It’s what keeps us from reaching our God-given potential. It’s what allows many of you to go through life lonely. You are lonely because you are afraid to speak out about your struggle. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of love, power,and self-discipline.”
Some have used my blog as an opportunity to talk about their story. Others are writing to me on facebook. God doesn’t want us to live paralyzed with fear. He has designed us so that others can help carry our burden. But people can’t carry what they don’t know about.
It makes me sad that many pastors have these struggles and no one to talk to. Some have started reaching out to me which is a great first step. I get the whole fear thing, I really do. I put off getting help. My issue was as much pride as it was fear.
Please don’t live like this. Talk to someone…start with me if you need to. Get the help you need. For those of you who know others who struggle with mental illness or friends and family who have loved ones who struggle, please point them to my blog. I believe God is going to use this conversation to help many.
I’m one of “them.” I’m not ashamed of it. It is how the Creator made my mind tick. Bipolar isn’t something I “caught” or the result of some sin in my life (some wackos believe that!). I’ve had this all my life. I’ve been taking ADD meds for years only to find out that one of the main symptoms of bipolar disorder is the inability to focus on tasks or becoming overwhelmed with certain tasks. I remember cleaning out the garage when I was a kid. I would get everything out in the driveway and then almost have a meltdown because now I had to organize it and put it back! It makes my head hurt just thinking about it.
This past week a good friend of mine who tragically lost her son told me about getting to a scary emotional place. Some describe it as a deep pit that they can’t get out of. She was suffering from major depression disorder. Guess what? She went to the doctor and got help. Today she is much better and no longer taking the meds. Some mental health issues are temporary and others will last a lifetime. My friend told me she was embarrassed to tell some of her close friends and family (all Christ followers) and felt that they were looking at her as damaged goods. How many of you are on some kind of medication for depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar 1 or 2, ADD or some other mental issue and no one other than your close family knows? You’re embarrassed and afraid. Stop it! You are missing out on the support of others who suffer as you do plus you are missing out on encouraging others who struggle. My family has been a huge help to me. But Sunday when I hugged a few “rapid cycling friends” (a bipolar term that has nothing to do with a bike) I felt a spiritual kinship that I can’t find elsewhere.
Damaged Goods? Don’t get me started! Who of you reading this isn’t damaged in some way. The Bible tells us that we are all damaged by sin. It tells us we will struggle in this world. Christ came to set us free from the penalty of our sin. He took a lot of his time in his earthly ministry to deal personally with people’s healing. He was drawn to their pain while unfortunately many of his followers today shy away from it. So what do we do? We get the word out. More tomorrow…
Sent from my iPhone
This is my new 10 week old German Shepard. Her name is Sasha!
Sent from my iPhone
By Email
By RSS
