The Process....

Thought today's devotion from the Vine would be a good and powerful reading to share today in my blog. So, as usual, I do the cut and paste.. and most importantly, praying... As I read it for myself, it put me in the position of again check and balance as to what is God saying to me today.. Though I may have known the principles, there would be new things to learn for today.. Do read on and be encouraged.

**********************************************************

When You Lose What You Love

When they walk through the Valley of Weeping... They will continue to grow stronger.

Psalm 84:6-7 NLT

When you lose what you love you go through five stages: (1) Denial - "No, it can't be happening." (2) Anger - "God, why are You permitting this?" (3) Bargaining - "Please make it go away." (4) Depression - Silence and withdrawal. (5) Acceptance - "Not my will but Yours be done."

Whether it's the loss of a child, a marriage, a job, your health, etc. when you turn to God He'll give you the grace to embrace it, grieve it, express it, release it, and go on to become stronger. Sometimes we seek quick relief by releasing it before we've gone through these stages. That's because we fear the process. We've been taught that any show of emotion is a show of weakness, so we stuff it. But we only stuff it into our emotional rubbish bin, then spend all our time and energy sitting on the lid, trying to keep the contents from spilling out. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). It's knowing and embracing the truth, including its painful aspects, that sets you free. You must be willing to forgive. But until you come to grips with the enormity of your loss, including any injustice of what was done to you, you are not ready to forgive. When you rush to forgive, you forgive only in part and you're released only in part.

Are you running from pain today? Are you trading it in prematurely for some other feeling? That's not God's way. Jesus said, "You will weep and mourn… but [eventually] your grief will turn to joy… and no one will take [it] away" (John 16:20-22 NIV).

**********************************************************

Be brave to go through the process and not rush.. I am very and really glad that God has given me the courage and the support to go through the process recently and not stuff it... Just imagine if I stuff it into my emotional rubbish bin without going through the process and then have to spend the rest of my life and energy sitting on the lid, trying to keep the contents from spilling out. Gosh, that would be really sad and tragic. I thank God that He intervened and taught me to be willing and brave to go through the process. As tough as it can be and it can be very tough to go through the process especially the part of embracing the pain, yet, it is liberating after that.. Oh yes! liberating because I am set free!.. My prayer today is that all be willing to go through the process where all truth will be revealed and everyone will be set free, including myself... :)

Everytime I scribble about this, I learn something new.. God is speaking something new to my heart and inner being and I am once again liberated and once again being blessed with new insight of life.. wow.. amazing.. and I know He is not done with me yet.. and there are more to come.. *Grinning*...