Saturday, April 21, 2007

Skeletons


I have been blessed to do three years of counseling. I have gone through a lot of pain, sweat, and tears in that time. As a result, I “know what my stuff” is. I now respond to others rather than reacting because I know my story and how it affects me. I have not been afraid to deal with my own stuff with a counselor. In fact, I have been blessed by wading through my stuff. This is my personal image for that process: we all have skeletons in our closets. When we do not deal with the skeletons, they rattle around, are noisy, take up a lot of space, and can hurt us when we bump into them with all the bones they have sticking out. When we do therapy and repent of our broken places to God, accepting the forgiveness God offers; we deal with our skeletons. While the skeletons are still in the closet, they no longer control us. Instead being out where they can hurt us, we have folded them neatly up, and put them away. They are still part of our story, but they are not our whole story nor do they control the story. I have worked to put away my skeletons of negative pastoral identity. I am free of the power my stuff used to have over me. Truly, with God, all things are possible.

Peace out,

Mary