We can’t ever let the actions of others make us feel like we don’t matter. We also have to accept the fact that there are times when we don’t matter to a particular person, and when that time is realized, it is time to make changes in more than just our thoughts.
No, I’m not telling you to get a divorce if you are having marital problems. I am also not telling you to stay in an abusive situation. But there are things you can do to help yourself even in bad situations, and one of the first things to do is not let yourself believe you are worthless because someone may be telling you that. You are worth much! Just ask Jesus, He’ll tell you!
However, I am telling you not to marry that person who doesn’t treat you with love and respect. Run away as fast as you can! If he or she hits or shoves you, or is mentally abusive, please read this post I wrote about HERE about domestic violence.
I used to think my problem was food. It’s not. My problem is me. I have quit begging Jesus to free me from an obsession of food, and have come to know that He is my freedom. All that the Bible says is true, and if He sets me free, I am free, indeed. If I am not walking in freedom, it’s because I’m not close enough to the source. And He is so much more than just the source. He is…my everything.
This is a poem I wrote some years ago. I’ve tweaked it over the years, but if we want true liberation from whatever chains have us bound, we must recognize Him as our all in all.
My All in All
He’s my Teacher when I ask for wisdom,
Crying out in an unashamed voice,
My Forgiver when I’m off my knees,
And knowingly make a wrong choice.
Patient endower of knowledge,
While in ignorance I seek to know,
As I grasp, at times rather blindly,
Trying to learn what He’s trying to show.
He’s my Defender when I need protection,
My Freedom when in chains I’m bound,
An ever present, calming deliverer,
When my bonds have kept me down.
He picks me up and helps me stand
When finally I submit;
A solid Rock to place my feet
When He pulls me from my pit.
He’s my loving Lord, the giver of grace,
My strong and mighty tower.
Ready Redeemer who rescues me,
Protecting me with His power.
Heavenly Father, who is my rest;
Counselor to ease my mind
He’s both Lamb and Lion, the Great I Am,
My all in all combined.
I have to smile at our take on logic. Fr instance, telling someone who has a continual history of being hit by the person she is in a relationship with to STAY AWAY FROM THAT PERSON IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HIT makes perfect sense. I, for one, think it's pretty clear. If you would be free, get away from controlling and abusive men. For the person who is often in that kind of relationship, however, it's not so clear.
ReplyDeleteI said that to say this: Those of us who have too much fat on our bodies, enough that it is doing us physical harm, have trouble with logic, too. A non-foodie would say, "If you overeat enough to maintain too much weight, quit eating the food that triggers the overeating. Just stay away from what is, for you, controlling and abusive food."
But we say, "If I am free, then I can eat food that is bad for me and be just fine You know...cause I'm free." And we don't see our flawed logic.
Let me give you an example. I've been doing pretty well on my low carb & gluten free food plan. Quite well, in fact. for several days. Especially well on the day we stopped at a local restaurant for supper. Feeling strong, I was.
I ordered an herbed chicken breast (Which was done perfectly) a baked potato and green beans. Now, the baked potato is a bit higher in carb for me, but it was small and i hadn't had any carby food all day. So, I'd consumed maybe 5 grams of carbohydrate by 5pm. I had room for the potato.
This restaurant has a "Pie of the Month." Ow, I love pie, especially fruit pie. this month is black raspberry. One of my super favorites. When we sat down to eat, Bill asked me if we were getting pie. I said he could, but I was not.
Yeah. I had the pie. Because one small piece of pie is fine. Normal people have one small piece of pie after dinner. If I'm not in bondage...if I'm free...I can handle a piece of pie.
I couldn't. I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say--It started with the potato and didn't stop at pie.
If I am truly free, then I am free to NOT have pie if I want to control my obsessive eating. Just like the formerly abused woman is free to NOT be with the man she loves if she want to avoid getting hit.
Logic is a funny thing...
I'm sorry about that Potato/Pie thing. I know how that can be. I also knew when I was writing the domestic violence piece I was talking to the clouds (it was written for one person in particular. She still is not listening. I am still "preaching.")
DeleteThe fat logic thing? It's got a mind all its own.
Such a beautiful poem! It really does boil all down to giving it all to him and having Jesus be our all. Now to wrap our heads around it sometimes can be a bit difficult.
ReplyDeletebetty