An Inkling
Ever
known a divorcee who couldn’t move on?
You hear his ranting about how ridiculous his ex and former in-laws are,
and how their latest antics are just another example of blah, blah, blah. Given the raw feelings surrounding divorce,
such rants are understandable – for a while.
But
after a while most people realize themselves, or are instructed by their
friends, that ranting is no longer helpful, and that it’s time to move on. That means not paying such close attention to
the dysfunction that made one crazy in the first place, and certainly not
running on about it.
Last
week our ECO-Ex had their family reunion in Detroit. (For those of you new to our story, in 2013
St. Giles was released from the PCUSA to join a new denomination, the ECO.) I’ve seen
lots of venting and snarking on line about their doings. And I have to confess that the anger
resonated with me. Some lingering wounds
in my own heart make it all too easy to join in the scorn.
But
it’s time to move on. As we do, we welcome
God’s forgiveness to move from being a commitment in the head to a freedom in
the heart. And that’s essential for
moving fully into his next season for us.
We
just celebrated the one-year anniversary of St. Giles’ marriage to ECO. I can truly say it is wonderful – far beyond
what I had ever hoped. That in itself
makes it easier to move on. Even so, it
takes some discipline to drop the old combative habits.
Let’s
help each other with that by laying aside our own venting and snarking. It will make us all the more ready to welcome
others in the healthiest ways to our happy new union. And it will make our prayers and support more
authentic for our friends who are still a part of our former church family.
Lord
have mercy…
On
us all,
Keith
