Children at one point or another come into conflict with their parents. Sometimes this conflict can be during childhood years or come as an adult and sometimes these conflicts can vary in length for resolution; some never are resolved. I suppose I was one of the fortunate ones where the real conflict (aside from my rebellious teens) came as an adult and thank you Lord has been in restoration mode for several years.
As I receive emails, in response to my writings, from my mother and father I sit and reflect on each one as if it were a Psalm of praise scrolled onto a rare golden tablet. Now, this may not mean much to my readers for you may be of the type that had perfect harmony within the boundaries of your immediate family. For me this is the amazing grace of God at work. The fact is restoration of any relationship takes not only a pure willingness on our part but the gift of God’s merciful grace moving us into repentance and forgiveness. I realize at this point in my life that His gift has always been there for me but I lacked the willingness to receive it with love and pure motives. I was always willing to accept His gracious gift if it would get me out of my current consequences, only to return it because of my self-will running a riot. I believe that it is grace that gives us what we need to make the right choices in life, unfortunately it will not do this for us. I have yet to master making right decisions because of the risks that are involved in choosing rightly. Or should I say I am prone to choose the easier, softer way that calls for the least amount of work (no change) therefore less risky. On the other hand by accepting His gift of grace in turn reinforces my foundation of faith. By faith I have been able to make the choices that do not promise to lead down a path of serene still waters; they are risks. Risks taken in faith do promise true spiritual growth and a dependence upon God. As my faith grows I am learning to trust God more and more with the entirety of my life leaning not on what I see or understand but believing in what I don’t see; trusting the inspired written words of the Holy Bible, as His personal promise to me.
Grace made it possible for me to get sober, ask for forgiveness, and restore broken relationships with my family. Grace allows me to be interested in others with compassion. Grace moves me to accept the call to be a writer that I would not be able to do without growing spiritually. All these choices have been ones that called for risks and a lot of work on my part. Please do not think that making these choices was easy for me. Sometimes I think I am blessed because I fell so far to the bottom of brokenness because the only way out was to trust God and I knew, deep down in my heart, that the choices that were risky were the right ones because they were the hardest. They were the ones that started sprouting spiritual growth.
I am amazed at the power of Grace to redeem and restore. I suppose without it I would not have never come to know, really know just how much my parents love me and have always loved me. Living without grace is a distortion of the thinks we see, think, and feel. For someone who has lived this way; thus far it was the greatest pain I have ever felt.
I am truly excited to see what else the grace of God will reveal as I travel this road to my happy destiny.