Unlike with friends, we do not choose the family we were born into. God does!
I thought to myself, why would God place me in this family?
It's only after being born-again that I've realized that God knows each family dynamic. He has given each individual a special gift and or anointing to be able to overcome satan's tactic to destroy families through abuse, violence, hatred, manipulation, and identity crisis. From a young age, I noticed that I had compassion, love, patience, and kindness more than kids and adults around me. However, with that, comes being a doormat, at least that is how I looked at it then. I often felt like I put up with a lot of people's emotional bondange, and thus I was at the bottom of the barrow because I did not speak up for myself like other people did. I remember one day when I was in highschool or college, telling God I am tired of being nice, and that I am going to start treating people how they treat me. He let me experience what that was like, and then I quickly retracted what I said. The reason for that is because those who spoke up for themselves, often was bound to their own emotions. Trying to force people to obey their feelings and emotions. I realized that although it seemed like I was a doormat, I was actually a lot better off emotionally then they were.
God gave you all that you need to be able to love your family. Love is not a feeling it's a decision to be kind, patient, selfless, and forgiving despite if it's reciprocated. So, yes, loving your family will not be easy if you are not born into a family who are born-again believers, faith filled and understand practical love.
By submitting to the word of God, this is an opportunity for your unloved, unsaved family members to see the difference in you [the God in you], and want to accept Jesus as Lord because they've lived their life for themselves and it has only brought them more pain and confusion.
Perhaps you were born into your family, to save them by introducing them to Jesus Christ. This is sacrificial because it does means that you will have to forgive those who have abused you [it doesn't mean that you accept it]; It means that you will have to forgive those who isolate you [it doesn't mean that you accept it]; It means that you will have to forgive your parents, for not showing God's love for you, by how they raised and love you. The only way you'll be able to do this is if your identity is in Jesus Christ.
My testimony:
- My mother has changed so much. She was born-again before I was born but got distracted by the things in the world. After I was born-again, we started to read the bible together every night, over the phone. I would read one chapter, and she would read one chapter. Jesus told me to stop reading the word of God with her, as it was time for her to grow her faith without me as a clutch. Now my mom reads the bible every morning. Not only that, she said that now in church she is able to really understand the preaching so much more. Not only that she is now allowing the Holy Spirit to sanctify her soul (emotions, feelings, and thoughts)
- My dad has changed as well. He was born-again before I was born. However, due to the worries of this life he strayed away. He has grown from being a man of doubt, to a man of faith. I gave him a bible and while I am not sure if he reads it. I know by speaking with him that God is changing his soul.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
