I grew up in a household where my dad abused my mom constantly and he ignored me. Fear resonated among my siblings each time my dad walked into a room because you never really knew what would trigger his anger. As I got older, I believed this was normal so I became reserved and insulated among people never really wanting to move out of the shell until I felt it was safe. Through it all, I realized that though my beginning was not perfect, I couldn’t continue with that mentality. Despite what I been through in my childhood, my God is a healer of broken beginnings. For most of us, life seemed to have started off wrong. Maybe you were the child everyone ignored, molested or abused by someone you trust, abandoned by your parents or your family was homeless and it seemed like there was no winning in your situation. Perhaps, it seemed like your peer’s lives was much easier as they resided in their wealthy two-parent household. You think, “God, how could you leave me like this?” Besides, you didn’t ask to be born but purpose and destiny enveloped you when He called you into existence.
I am reminded of the story of Ishmael in the book of Genesis. Ishmael was the son of Haggar, who was Sarah’s maid and an Egyptian woman. When Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was in her prime and unable to bare children, she gave Haggar to her husband as a substitution. The bible says after Abraham went into Haggar, Sarah despised her (Genesis 16:4). Upset, Haggar went to the wilderness which is where the Angel of the Lord found her weeping. The Angel asked her what was wrong and she said she was hiding from Sarah (Genesis 16:9). Then, the Angel proceeded to tell her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” Haggar was confused but then the Angel informed her that she was pregnant. Though it was not ideal how the child was conceived, the Angel prophesied over Haggar’s baby. “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren” (Genesis 16:11-12).
Who would have thought that the one they called the bastard child, God would provide so much favor. When Sarah was finally able to conceive and bore Issac, Ishmael took the backseat and he was the forgotten one. However, God remembered Ishmael. The prophecy that was spoken over his life came to pass because God does not forsake His children.
Likewise, Joseph, who was the 11th of Jacob’s 12 sons, was on the same boat. He was his father’s favorite but that favor caused his brothers to hate him so they sold him into slavery at a very young age. After years of being imprisoned, God remembered Joseph as he rose to power. The bible says Joseph was 30-years-old when he stood before Pharaoh the king of Egypt (Genesis 41: 46).
Like Joseph, sometimes it seems like it’s taking forever for us to be delivered from our broken beginnings. Maybe you’ve been to every counselor or psychiatrist to help you forgive your father for walking out on your family or resulted to prescription medications to heal the pain of your childhood. The Healer still has the power to pick you out of the ditch where you once slipped in. God said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5).
The funny thing about God is He loves you in spite of what He knows you been through. Though your beginnings may not be what you hoped for, you shall recover and be free from it all. Visit my blog at: http://godtruepoet.blogspot.com
The post Healer of Broken Beginnings by Sandra Jean Charite appeared first on Christ Centered Home Magazine.
Comments are closed.