"Finding the Father and His Feelings in the Midst of Our Pain"
One of the dilemmas in the healing process is this: We desperately need God to come into our places of woundedness and heal what was lost or damaged in our hearts. Yet those same wounds cause us to protect our hearts and our emotions from trusting others—especially God. You may have some very real, significant issues with God for allowing you to experience the abuse, neglect, and rejection. Why did he not rescue and protect you the way a father should have and God could have? It is not uncommon to work through these struggles with God in the healing process.
As we help our counselees deal with their image of God, we try to walk with each one into the heart of the Father and discover his goodness. He is good no matter what, even when we do not understand his ways.
For me (Jerry), one particularly important and intimate time with God came during the most intense period of my healing journey. There were other occasions when I had to wrestle with God concerning questions I had about my childhood. But what made this period of healing so powerful was being able to feel my Father’s heart toward me. Every time I felt significant grief over events of my youth, I could feel his grief as well. His pain for me and my situation. His sorrow—yet, at the same time, his hope for my future. I felt his feelings during that difficult stretch of my healing path—and that is what motivated me to keep going.
This awareness of how God felt toward me surprised me at first, but I soon came to expect it. I knew he was with me and that what I was doing, pursuing healing, was what he wanted for me.
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BOOKS AND MEDIA: "Loving God, Loving Myself" and our Expanded Edition of "The Missing Commandment: Love Yourself," are available at jerryanddenisebasel.com and Amazon.com.
COUNSELING MINISTRY: If you or anyone you know is in need of finding a safe place for emotional and/or spiritual healing and restoration, please contact us at The Father's Heart Intensive Christian Counseling Ministry. Check out our web site at fathersheart.com or email us directly at fathersheartmin@gmail.com. We are located in the North Georgia Mountains in a retreat-like setting and counsel individuals or couples for periods of two to five-days in length.
