A Journal of a Broken Personality

I'm learning the meaning of FAMILY

I'm learning, I'm learning the meaning of FAMILY

I've never been truly thankful for my Family until God showed its profound meaning and the Godly responsibility one has towards their family. We are six, My Parents the eldest brother a sister, me then a brother. Families are amazing they see the best and worst in you, literally the worst not only in character but also in habits and appearance, yes the smelly breath, bushy hair and the Suwai (Home clothes) I guess that's when you are the realest.

I had a wonderful childhood, playing with my sibling, playing house and sleeping over in each other's room (this was before the youngest came), hide and seek were the best. Yes, there were fights augments but through it all we loved each other.

Soon we reached our teenage years things began to be different, my older brother spent most times with his friends, my sister and I were very close but things changed the moment I started working, the youngest he and I would fight a lot in our Primary years but as soon as he finished high school we became inseparable. The adolescent years are the years where the distancing starts to take place.

Then there was my parents. I'm utterly grateful that he blessed me with God fearing parents, my mother a woman of her words, of integrity and immense compassion, strict in our upbringing, a powerful woman of Prayer every 4 am she would intercede on our behalf, A cry of Hanna which soon found breakthrough. My father a highly respected man, quiet yet stern, understanding and merciful, oh there were days when I hated that about him but later I grew to love.

The family is the first people you know and grow with, the very people you learn to love and exercise your character; they are the ones who can bring the best or worst out of you. The Bible is filed with sibling encounters, Isaac and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, Mather and Mary, David and his brothers and even Cain and Abel.

One's character is molded first and foremost by the family the influence is Spiritual, Physical and even Mental. Everyone is not born by accident but God has predestined the time place best fitting for one to grow up in, unfortunately some are born into broken families in which we can never really understand nevertheless the Almighty has his reasons.

I soon learnt that you can see God by the way one treats their family.

 1 Timothy 5:8 speaks clearly about providing for his own household and anyone denying their responsibility has denied the faith and is WORSE than an unbeliever. 

We value our family in the chapter of childhood but as we get older our priorities change and friends, work relationships etc takes the place of importance. I am guilty of that the moment of Independence I forgot my family, if there was a family function and my friends would call with an invite I would be quick to drop everything and go. I could spend more money for my friends but when it came to my family it was hard to give, don't get me wrong I do love them but it was difficult for me to give and if I did give they had to be something I got in return.

What a hypocrite I was, I gave the best to my friends and purposely forgot my family. The first people I ever knew. I thank God for opening my eyes and giving me a second chance to redeem myself, providing for my family is more than material matters it being a listening ear, standing in the gap in prayer and fasting, its being sensitive to each other's needs, it's checking up on each other, it's encouraging, being patient understanding and most importantly it's showing the love of Christ.

God has taught me that my family is my first Ministry. I have a huge role to play and one day I will give an account of my actions to God. I have noticed with a lot of people who go to church they do the work of God who are so loving and quick to help other people but when it comes to their own family an ugly side shows. 

Most reasons for this kind of behavior is offense by the family member causing unforgiveness, pride, jealousy and the list goes on If we can't show love and compassion in our home how are we expected to show love to the world? and if we do paint a different picture to everyone else we are nothing but a mockery of the gospel.

We need to ask God to first deal with our hearts, teaching us to love and forgive. It is impossible to love a family member through our own strength and let bygones be bygones BUT with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus Christ than only can change come. 

The first step is realizing that you cannot do this by yourself that you need to surrender to God finally forgiving them and releasing. Trust me it is hard because you battle with all the reason of why you shouldn't your pride will get the best of you and all the memories of how they hurt you will keep coming up but you must ask God to give you the strength to forgive and he is is far more faithful to help you.

Do you have some patching to do with a family member?

I'm learning, I'm learning the meaning of FAMILY