When I first shared with my mom that I was writing a book about the domestic violence in our family, I was nervous about what her reaction was going to be. I had always tiptoed around her feelings like they were eggshells. After telling mom about my endeavor, her enthusiasm helped keep me going and she asked about my progress every time we spoke.
“I love you and I want to read that book,” she’d tell me before we’d hang up.
As I got to the finish line, I grew anxious about her reading The Girl and shared my concerns with my older brother. I was worried about her mental health, possibly throwing her into an episode with a walk down memory lane.
“You’re just going to have to find out,” Tom told me.
Once Mom received and then read the book, she was thrilled with it.
“I hope it helps someone,” she exclaimed.
And it gave me hope that maybe she’d tell me more about our family history, fill in some of the blanks – let me know more about her, go deeper into what she felt – or maybe acknowledge the damage done in the lives of her children. To receive an “I’m sorry” would have been nice but I must be content with her way of coping. I must be good with the unresolved.
“A person’s insight gives
him patience,
and his virtue is to overlook
an offense.”
– Proverbs 19:11
So much of what we learn through scripture circles back around to the fruit of the spirit.
“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The law is not against such things.”
Galatians 5:22-23
To find the humility to release offenses we must turn to and have a relationship with Jesus. It’s the only way to be planted and mature.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him,
he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me,
he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up,
thrown into the fire and burned.”
– John 15:5
What biblical character(s) with unresolved issues come to mind for you? Moses pops into my head. He believed and followed the Lord and fought so hard for Israel and then never got to set foot in the Promised Land. How frustrating?! But… that’s the way it goes sometimes. Here’s an article that brings up some other folks from scripture who dealt with unresolved junk 20 Flawed Bible Characters Who Were Inspirational (chasinghopewithkatherine.com).
The beauty is that:
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
– Lamentations 3:22-23
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