Guys, may I please recommend a book to you? It is a book by David Seamands, Healing for Damaged Emotions.
I am a thirty-three year old man. I am loved by my beautiful family. I have great friends. I have been in ministry for eleven years. I have two masters degrees. I have read the entire Bible multiple times. And yet I am broken. I struggle with damaged emotions. I wrestle with insecurities and baggage that come from bad decisions I have made AND from unfairnesses in my life as a consequence of other’s bad decisions.
As I read through this book, I journaled multiple pages, made several key phone calls, asked forgiveness, gave forgiveness, cried like a baby, danced like a drunk man, and discovered hope in regions of my soul that I had written off as hopeless.
I realize that I do NOT have to minister to others IN SPITE of my brokenness but that God may actually make my brokenness an asset in my ministry portfolio! In reading this book, I was enabled to discover fissures in my life that have been permitting unhealth to seep into my everyday life. I am addressing them, and am already finding freedom and experiencing grace!
I will share one phrase that is reshaping me:
I have rarely met a depressive perfectionist who didn’t have a terrific sense of injustice and unfairness. The only answer to this deep anger against the injustices of life is forgiveness. Who most often needs to be forgiven? Parents and family members.
If you are honest with yourself, you must admit to some degree of neurosis in your life! Wikipedia defines a neurotic as, “a person with any degree of depression or anxiety, depressed feelings, lack of emotions, low self-confidence, and/or emotional instability.” Sound familiar? If so, P-L-E-A-S-E read this book…
paul,
you would not believe the timing of this post. thanks bro! just ordered it.
Josh
Only 33. You are wise beyond your years my friend. At 33 I was still pretty much an idiot. Some would argue I still am. I think maybe, but not as big of one as I once was.
I hope all is well with you and yours.
Brad B.
Thanks Paul — Your timing is so wonderful I have something going on in my life that is just knocking me down and hurting me. I thank God for a great husband who supports and loves me, the pain is strong…it is a feeling of rejection that I feel and can’t handle it…I need to get this book and read it —God Bless MAC
Hey Paul.
The book Healing for Damaged Emotions was given to me by Jon Hunt.. over 20 years ago. It is, in addition to scripture, reading that saved my life. It helped me to sift through the trash in my past and bring me to a place where I actually felt and started to believe in my heart and mind that God actually loved me. Through the act of going to my mother and father and asking for their forgiveness and in turn, giving them forgiveness, I discovered the true essence of Christianity. Relationships changed and I gained an understanding of what it meant to have a personal relationship with my Lord. My life changed dramatically after reading that book and applying it. It will be a tool you will, no doubt, want to recommend to many.
I have a book on my shelf The Wounded Spirit by Frank Peretti. Sounds similar to what you are describing. Will have to check out both books once I get the kids off to school.