Breaking Chains
The waitress takes away our finished plates as Rebecca shares her story. Her pink nail polish glitters in the light while I focus on her words. Rebecca has experienced trauma and is passionate about helping others.
A painful childhood, abusive marriage, and self-loathing pulled her down into the pit. She looked to alcohol to numb the pain, but that path led to more bondage.
“Feeling more self-disdain with every drunken binge, I didn’t feel worthy of God’s love, grace, or mercy,” she explains. “But God kept showing up in divine interventions that included the chance meeting of a group of people at a restaurant who attended AA. That started the road to sobriety.”
God broke the chains of alcoholism, but self-loathing persisted.
“What was the pivotal moment?” I ask.
She describes a day when she was listening to the story of Moses and the burning bush. Although she knew the story well, that day God showed her that He wanted to speak to her. In the story, Moses is talking about all his insecurities. God responds by asking a series of questions. Those questions can be summarized like this: Who made you to be who you are? Don’t you trust me to help you with those doubts?
This event reminded Rebecca that every day she can commune with the God of Moses and enjoy His presence.
“God stills speaks to us today,” she said, “through His Word, through friends, through nature.”
The question is, are we listening?
As a child, Rebecca asked God to help her see others with His eyes, but it wasn’t until she was much older that she asked God to see herself through His eyes. Rebecca often felt worthless, but she asked God to replace that lie with His truth. Now Rebecca is passionate about helping others find their self-worth in Christ.
Trauma is not greater than the power of the cross. If Jesus can conquer death, then He can conquer our trauma.
Thank you, Rebecca, for reminding me of these important truths and helping to write this blog. God’s blessings to you as you encourage others to walk in the Light.
Prayer
Abba Father,
You are more powerful than trauma. You are stronger than addiction. You are our protector and provider. Thank you for transforming Rebecca into a beaming mosaic of Your grace.
We are trusting you to heal us from our pain. We are leaning on your wisdom to help us make wise choices.
Break the chains that bind us. Free us from the pit of despair.
Hold us tight when our emotions rage.
We cling to you. Be our Rock in the midst of the storm. Be our anchor when our world is falling apart.
Give us hope to move forward.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Psalm 107:14
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces.
Butterfly mosaic by Lebanon artist
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