After the Story - Choices Like Rivers - Episode 56
After the Story - Choices Like Rivers - Episode 56
This podcast discusses each chapter of Choices Like Rivers and each episode is posted directly after the book episode. This to Chapter 20 Section 1
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Signs of emotional healing are the ability to stop negative thoughts, to shift your own mental mindset, and to forgive. Forgive not only yourself, which may be the hardest to do, but others as well.
It is Sharon’s first Christmas without Molly Sue. She has so many wonderful and sweet memories of the last Christmas which was also her only Christmas, with Molly Sue. Her joy and wonder made Christmas what it truly should be.
Sharon is well on the way to emotional healing and decides to go Christmas shopping. Woolworth’s was a huge department store in that era and had a little bit of everything. And they did Christmas up right.
Once in the store and seeing all the children she immediately thought of Molly Sue. They had put a restraining order on her so she couldn’t get too close, and honestly she didn’t want to have to go through the trauma of seeing her all over again and then saying goodbye.
However, she couldn’t resist looking for her. When she did see her, there was a different feeling. She suddenly realized that where before she had been obsessed with having her for her own, she now felt a real love for her, a genuine affection. From the selfish feeling of wanting her for her own, to the feeling of actual love for her.
This shows real progress in her emotional healing. She didn’t do it on her own. It took several friends, and friends who were also praying for her. They continued to stand by her and be there for her and they continued to pray, never giving up.
That is the challenging thing as a friend and standing by as a solid support. We can often loose patience. It may seen like they have settled into their pain and suffering, wearing it like a badge of honor, but if we are there praying, gently urging to go a bit further while accepting where they are, they will hopefully move on.
The most difficult part of emotional healing is forgiveness. I’ve written several times in the past about forgiveness. How do we forgive when we don’t feel it?
My best advice, and advice I’ve used myself, is to pray for that person you are trying to forgive. Not just once, but in earnest, pray for them every day.
You have to decide that you want to, and be determined that you will forgive them even if the feelings don’t come. It will come gradual, but it will come. One day you will find that the forgiveness has come, that it is just there. The pain and angst will be gone.
This is a short follow-up for this section. Merely a reminder of what emotional progress really looks like and what brings it to pass. In your own life if you are working toward and praying for real healing, watch for the signs. The small everyday changes that show real progress.
The biggest sign and I believe one of the most important is forgiveness. When you see and feel that forgiveness begin to settle in, you can know that real healing has begun. It is so hard to not only forgive others, but yourself. It may be a daily exercise, but one that is worth it.
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