Sometimes in my life I follow so close to someone that I disappear and lose my'self'. Walking in the shadow of another can be an identity losing experience. Whether is it a spouse, a brother, a sister, or a friend, whoever we follow, if it is too close, we take on their identity and if not careful, possibly not be seen at all.
As I've look over my life, I see this happened, not being allowed to have an identity, e.g. being able to fully expressing myself as a child expresses themselves, carried over to my adult life with limited expression. When abuse and neglect are used to control, identity is lost. When love and nurturing, caring and embracing, being honest and being truthful are within the family system, when space is allowed for full expression, there is wholeness and completeness being nutured to be all that God created us to be. I am experiencing this within my life, as well as with many others sharing their life stories. Listening to others is allowing me to go back and walk a deeper walk within myself, to openly share that my identity had been given up by force and also given up by my choice. The healing process is taking back my identity. Dr. Charles and Connie Meisgeier years ago used an illustration of a mound of clay, as we go through our lives and parts of us are taken bit by bit by others, the healing process is to take the pieces back, by admitting the pain and hurt that it caused and if available go directly to that person who took the pieces, to begin our ultimate healing process.
In my humanness and shortcomings and sins, I will never get it right. His identity which I desire, when it is not fully understood (which it never will completely in this life), can be 'more damaging' to my children and others by the 'walk that I'm trying to walk' causes damage done 'in the name of Jesus' which wasn't Him at all, it was me whether verbalized or by action. It is my open invitation and offering others to be free to express themselves with me their hurt and pain, this is where we all find healing together.
I am complete in Christ, fully able to truthfully look within myself and not hide anything, knowing fully that the Truth will set me free. To acknowledge my human God given nature 'and' my 'new life', now I'm complete.
I am crucified with Him and yet I live, not I but Christ who lives within me. Galatians 2:20.
This shadow heals.
Video & Song
'Crucified With Christ' Phillips Craig & Dean
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