As I reflect on my relationships with my family and everything we have been through together, one word that comes to my mind is grace. I have been shown forgiveness and grace in excessive amounts from my family. They have seen me at my absolute worst and have been with me during the hardest and most painful times in my life, but they have never left my side. It's been a difficult journey at times and I know the future holds more challenging situations as well, but I also know that God has given me a supportive family that will walk with me through it all. God has shown his compassion and mercy for me through them.
We all have had times in our lives that have been very painful or challenging. We have had times in our lives that we have hurt others or been selfish. It pains me, now, to think of all the ways I have hurt the people in my life that I love the most. It's strange how the people you love the most, also get hurt by you most. You know each other so well and, too often, take them for granted. You get used to seeing them every day and get so caught up with every day life that you forget that these people are God's gift to you.
You may not have come from a very close family. Maybe the memories you have of your family are not good ones and you have experienced a lot of pain. This world and the people in it will let you down, but I want to tell you that God never will. When this world brings you pain and hurt, God is there to comfort you and love you. You can look to your Heavenly Father and He will bring you peace and restoration. He will fill your life with joy so that you can show other's His love through the way you live your life.
God has shown me that it is good to slow down and focus on strengthening these relationships. Different people will come and go in your life. You'll meet many new people and develop many friendships, but your family will always be there. I am so thankful for each and every one of my family members. They have each taught me something valuable that I will cherish always.
My mom has taught me to express my feelings and care for other's hearts. She has encouraged me to be more open with people and to show them God's love and compassion. She has taught me that life isn't all about accomplishing tasks, but valuing people and their hearts. My dad has taught me how to make good decisions. He has guided me, protected me, and confronted me as I've faced challenging situations and has helped me gain wisdom in how to handle them. He has pointed me to Jesus and shown me that my relationship with Christ is the most important thing in my life. My sister has shown me what it means to be strong. Her faith has encouraged me to pursue my own and find my identity in God. She has taught me that it isn't about what the world thinks of me, but who I am in Jesus. She has supported me, encouraged me, and been one of the biggest blessings in my life. And lastly, my brother has taught me to never lose my sense of wonder and excitement for each day. He is always so excited and fully embracing each moment. I can't help but smile when I'm with him. We always end up laughing together and I've had some of my best times with that little bug.
Family. God has given us these people as gifts. They challenge us, support us, and help us grow into the people God created us to be. As my relationships in my own family have been strengthened, my relationship with God has also grown. I feel at peace knowing that I will always have these people there for me. I feel comforted in knowing that my heavenly Father loves me and has blessed me with these people. As my life goes on, I want to continue to pursue these relationships. So together, we can live a life of purpose, encouraging each other and glorifying our King.
No comments:
Post a Comment