God wants to heal us. God wants us to experience true freedom – in Him. God wants us to live life more abundantly. He truly does! This is what He says in His Word & He’s not a man that he should lie. But we must be willing to turn to Him & allow Him into those fragile parts of us too.

Every so often God will use my relationship with my own children to remind me of my relationship with Him.

When they’re hurting. When they’re mad.

My oldest oftentimes bottles up his emotions no matter how many times I try to let him know that I’m here for him. No matter how much he tries to pretend he’s ok, I know he’s not. As his mom, I know when my son is not ok. Whereas my youngest son, he doesn’t hold back & lets it be known. There’s no need to ask him. He cries it out. He lets me know when he’s sad. When there’s something wrong. When he’s mad. He tells me when he’s upset especially when he’s upset with me.

As their mom, I want nothing more than to hold & embrace them. Comfort them. Remind them that they are safe in my arms. That they don’t have to hold back. I’m here to be their “safe place” to just be. Though they resist at first, after a few moments I start to feel them let go & just be. Be sad. Be upset. Cry. Be angry. I remind them how much I love them & that it’s ok not to feel ok all of the time. I don’t make them feel bad about feeling the way they do. I don’t tell them they have to stop crying & they have to be strong. I don’t tell them their wrong for feeling that way. I sit with them & look into their eyes so that they know I see them. That I hear them. That I’m listening if they choose to speak. Sometimes my oldest does & other times he doesn’t. Sometimes I share words of love, comfort, peace & encouragement when he allows me to speak to his situation. Other times, my presence is all he needs & sometimes it takes time for him to be reminded of this.

I believe the same is true with God. I believe when we come to Him with a broken spirit & allow Him into those fragile & wounded parts of us, He begins to heal us & set us free. Sometimes it’s instant & other times He takes His time. The Bible says, “One day is a thousand years & a thousand years is one day”. He’s the Creator of time. There’s nothing that is too big or impossible for Him. He’s a gentle God. He’s compassionate. He’s patient. The existence of pain & suffering doesn’t make God absent.

God is a dependable God. This means we can depend on Him even with our pain, anguish, doubt, fear, questions, lack of faith & trust, our sin & weakness. None of it is “too big”, “too dark” or “impossible” for God. He can handle our shortcomings. He can handle it all but we must be willing to trust Him in the process of it all no matter how long it takes or what we must endure. Our pain has purpose. He doesn’t allow our pain to be in vain. He makes ALL things work together for our good & for His glory!

For a long time I held back because I didn’t know that I could turn to Him in this way until I finally did & realized that He didn’t leave my side. He didn’t condemn me. He didn’t shame me. As I drew near to Him, He drew even closer. Nothing could push Him away. Nothing could even separate me from His love. Nothing! He comforts me. He loves on me. He hears me. He speaks to me. He gives me peace. He restores my joy. He strengthens me. He guides me. He leads me. He corrects me. He instructs me. He teaches me. He heals me. He walks with me. He allows me to just be. No shame. He’s my safe place. He never leaves my side. He doesn’t change. He remains the same. There’s SO much more to Him. Every day I’m learning more & more to depend on Him. And I’m grateful that He is always there to receive me with open arms & that I can depend on Him no matter what!

You can too!! I promise, you can.

Thank You, God! Thank You, for who you are & who you continue to be.