“I’m Falling Apart…..Can Anyone Help?”

May 24, 2015

“I’m Falling Apart…..Can Anyone Help?”

Luke 17:11-13

^11-13 It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

Earlier this week I was listening to Greg Laurie. He was talking about leprosy (also known as Hanson’s disease).  As I was listening to the symptoms I could not help but see a parallel to Parental Alienation.

What is Leprosy?

Leprosy is a disease that attacks the central nervous system that creates numbness and deformities in parts of the body.

Symptoms:

• Loss of feeling
• Scars and bruises
• Fatigue
• Deformities
• Discoloring of skin and infection
• Deterioration
• Highly Contagious
• Can take a long time to show symptoms
• Loneliness
• Abandonment
• Outcast
• Destitute

As I looked at this list I could not help but think that the symptoms are very much the same in Parental Alienation. 

Here are some of the symptoms of PA:

• Loss of feeling
• Scars and bruises
• Deformities of character
• Infection of the soul
• Fatigue
• Deterioration of Hope
• Can take a long time to show symptoms because of the long court battles and confusion of what is going on.
• Loneliness
• Abandonment
• Outcast
• Destitute

Think about it, Parental Alienation is the leprosy of the soul. It takes everything from you on top of the relationship with your children; money, friends, trust, hope, a sense of being and your character. People don’t want to be around you. The courts mock you and rob you blind. And the worst is you feel all alone.

Just like those in third world countries and ancient times the pain of what they were dealing with because of leprosy was one thing, but the pain of rejection and ridicule was different and soul killing. Likewise those who have experienced the separation of a child by the hands of a disgruntled spouse or unforgiving court is much the same. You find yourself not being able to feel and like you have lost a limb. If the pain wasn’t bad enough you may find you can’t find one person who would be there to give you hope and comfort.

Just like the lepers you find yourself calling out saying “I’m falling apart, can someone help me?” Day in and day out you call out to no avail. Today seems like it is another day without hope and reeling in the paralyzing pain, but wait! Someone is coming! Could today be the day that someone would share just a kind word or give me some hope? Then there it is, that compassionate voice telling you that you are made whole and restored and show yourself to those who can testify to your change.

As the scripture continues it says the most outsider of the outsiders came back to give thanks to Christ. Christ took note of it and said you are restored by your faith and saved as a result.

We are looking for a shoulder to be there for use and most of the time we may get a glimpse at time to time, but very rarely could another person give us that hope or comfort as they too are broken.

In the song “Shoulders,” by For King and Country, they talk about how God carries us through those hard times. As they say in one of the lines that God has come to make things whole.

You mend what once was shattered
And You turn my tears to laughter
Your forgiveness is my fortress
Oh Your mercy is relentless

Imagine if through your calling of brokenness you find someone who has mercy and compassion for your situation, not to take it away but to see you through? Would it restore your hope? Would you celebrate where you came from and be forever grateful? Christ has come to your camp that others have forgotten, where the courts have condemned you and where all hope has seemed lost and has said “You are restored and made whole!”

Challenge: Never lose hope. Share with others those little victories to strengthen your faith and be whole.

CAL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfiYWaeAcRw