So I’m working on this project, I call it a stories project. I’ve been working on it for a few months now and have set aside a few days to seriously focus on writing a few stories of real people who have experienced tragedy but through the love of Christ and the generosity of others are experiencing redemption in these areas of brokenness. The more I listen to and talk to the Lord through these stories, the more and more I am convinced of the cycles of pain that continue and perpetuate more pain and brokenness when left unattended to, when left without the healing oil of God’s love and truth being experienced with the heart and revealed to the mind.
When people refuse to connect emotionally in friendships or in basic dealings in life I’ve always had really deep frustration with that, possibly because I grew up with emotional disconnect lived out. When I finally met Christ after years of experiencing extremely bad emotions I began to really latch on to the idea that Christ came to give us “life more abundant” and to me that meant a real connection with Him and with each other, not abundant with stuff but abundant with a deeply rich life, rich in the things that only Christ can give. As I’ve been listening again to the stories of these precious girls who some have been neglected for most of their lives, others abused in untold ways, and still others used as props for the success of those to whom they should be valued and treasured by, I’ve been realizing something that I “knew” before but through this experience and looking at my own life have realized more and more to be true, broken people are somewhat like injured animals. Think about it, if an animal has been abused by people, it doesn’t like people and attacks, the same thing happens with people. When boundaries of security and love have been crossed by people, especially by parents and people to whom they were looking for love and acceptance, then walls go up and the claws come out, and it almost seems like the more walls we have up the more situations we begin to encounter that strengthen the fortitude of our man-made defense mechanisms. In the place of being wounded by those “selfish and mean people” the one being wounded is often blinded to the reality that the reason they are being hurt is because the perpetrator is operating from a place of pain and brokenness. Then this rejecting of people and rejecting of people’s love if not properly recognized as coming from a place of brokenness in the other person, fosters more rejecting in those reaching out to the wounded. The quote by John Maxwell is fitting when he states “Hurting people hurt people and are easily hurt by them.”
We never excuse sin or wrongs done to people, they are bad and they are what they are, painful. But to realize the perpetuation of brokenness and pain for what it is and to extend grace to one another may be the road to healing for one person and may lead to the healing of another and another. To give grace we have to receive it from Christ, this is undeniable in my mind.
happy trails | don’t beat your dog and don’t beat your friend | sometimes we’re just a bunch of broken toys that need a little TLC | much love | katee grace
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