Freedom from YourSELF.
Do you want to be free?
Offenses, hurts, verbal abuse, discouragement, put-downs, sarcasm…they all hurt no matter what the hurt.
This morning as I was listening to the podcast “Coffee with Chris Caine”...she was talking about ambition and how sometimes we have selfish ambition. That we have pains from our past, abandonment, really hard things that we have gone through. Words that cut like a knife. That were spoke from a deceitful place of someone’s heart. They were a part of the enemies plan to diminish our self-worth, to tell us where are not important and that we really don’t matter.
As a child, I feel that I have gone through some verbal abuse…and Chris Caine was talking about feelings of abandonment. I am at a place of already learning to forgive those people who spoke those words & have been freed from my past; the Father always can do more work in me & I am willing to allow that. Anyhow, when she was a child she was abandoned and left without a name in a hospital, she was given a number instead, then for 13 years of her life she was abused. Now she is an amazing motivational speaker in church’s across the world…She has a podcast called Coffee with Chris Caine…and I love it. She speaks so much truth.
Please check our her website & download her podcasts if you would like!
http://www.equipandempower.org/
She was reminding me of those who have gone through verbal abuse, or any kind of abuse or abandonment often look to them-self for answers and for extra validation from others. They scream out through actions and words for that approval…to be wanted, to be loved. Wounds from the past cry out for just wanting to be more loved, or to accomplish something more. They lack trust, and they struggle with it.
What Chris Caine said that stuck out to me was to look to the needs of others before yourself ….like Paul talks about in Philippians 2:3-5:
” Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”
When we look past ourself we learn to trust. Yes, hurts can still happen, but when we clothe ourself with the mind of Christ and his love, it changes our heart. It changes how we speak, think, and act. Instead of feeling jealous we love…instead of anger…love….instead of careless words…life-giving comfort and encouragement. Yes guarding your heart for it is the wellspring of all life is a GOOD thing, but not ever branching our or allowing love in stops the flow of love in. I believe in love..there is a constant flow…a give & take. If we can’t give, we can’t receive and vice versa. If someone has been abused often they really have trouble receiving. To receive love for yourself and believe it in faith is equal as giving that love out.
Selfish ambition is when we start following our feelings instead of God’s word…we need to let go of our FEELINGS. Being that I am a “feeler” by personality, I often get over-consumed by what I feel. Our own heart … wounded or damaged will let us down. Looking to the heart of God and dealing with the things of our heart will allow to be able to reach out to others. When your heart is broken & your trying to protect it you won’t be able to love others fully. Healing and restoration need to be brought. Self actualization, self-protection can consume you instead of allowing yourself to trust God in the people he has placed in your life. This usually happens when you are hurt & broken, and when your heart still needs restored. God wants to heal & restore you. Yes, give yourself grace, you aren’t perfect…but deal with that heart of yours! Go to the Father…He is the best healer around. He sent Jesus to bind up the wounds of the broken-hearted!
(Isaiah 61:1) The good news is that Jesus is still in business for healing today. Don’t let any more days pass without asking the Lord…“Lord, heal my broken heart…heal my wounds.”
Anyhow just couldn’t keep this to myself! I hope her story speaks to you in some way or encourages you. God always finds a way to encourage me through this wonderful woman of God. Love her & her positive uplifting encouragement! It gave me great insight & a refreshment of truth!
