Greetings Dear Reader,
I recently posted about the idea of cutting off
communication with those we love (Walls
of Silence). Evidently this
has touched several of you. I wished to
respond with a response to you and a gratitude story. First, I would be clear that I am not
claiming to have the answer to your situation.
I do not know enough details nor do I have the answers to your specific
needs.
Having walled others out and walled myself in, I do have
some thoughts on the idea from the perspective of the one needing refuge. Having been walled out, I also have an
understanding of the perspective of the one being rejected. I am getting ahead of where I wish to be,
however. Let me begin with one of your
comments:
I have been thinking
about your comment about avoiding those who are harmful to you and how this
should be done in the context of loving your enemies. I avoided my parents for a long time but now
interact only with all guards up. Visits
with them are mentally exhausting because of trying to always be on the look
out for the ways they break down the man God would have me be.
I am not identifying anyone on purpose. If you wish public credit for your comment
just let me know. This is just one
example of the type of response I have gotten.
Just after I read this. I read something in preparation for a book I am
trying to finish the writing in month of November. This book is a deep dive into the study of
Ephesians focused on application of the many things we can learn from this
Epistle. So here is the gratitude story:
When I first arrived in the City of Refuge where I am
dwelling for a time, some good people sat with me and expressed their thoughts
on my needs for the spiritual part of my journey. One of them said this to me, “You understand
how the armor of God works, you simply need to trust that it DOES work.” That touched me more deeply than I realized
in the moment.
As I have attempted to reach out to the persons that have a
similar impact to me as the individuals in the above quote, I have clung to the
idea that the armor can protect me. When
I allow it to, it does. When I focus on
the necessity of showing the love of Christ with humility and peace, I can
endure the repeated attempts to derail my pursuit of doing good. It is neither pain free nor is it pleasant. I have to go through the mental preparation
to interact and then decompress afterward.
It has also taught me how to be more aware of how I impact
others. It has helped me see the plank sticking out of my head and begin to
learn how to not bash others with it. I
am starting to see how my flaws harm others and instead of fighting it begun to
look for ways to become a better man, a better follower of Christ.
The only offensive weapon in the armor of God is the “Sword
of Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
This is a mystical weapon in that it works better than we imagine. Like so many weapons in fantasy, however, it
demands a price before it will work.
This real living sword only works for us if it first pierces our own hearts. I have had to come to grips with the idea
that until I get further in my own understanding of how this works, I need to
realize that the rest of my armor will protect me and I can stay on the passive
defensive stance for a bit.
When those I love say hurtful things to me, I must take in
the truth and allow my armor to protect me from the rest. I must own my own failure and sin whilst
loving those who assail me in humility and peace. I need grace and mercy from the Father so
deeply that I dare not fail to give it to others. I am just beginning to see the import of the
prayer, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against
us.”
As I said, I do not have the answer for your situation Dear
Reader. What I do know is that when I
allow someone to scream at me, swear at me, or even reject me and I focus on
Christs deep desire to love them and heal them, “the aching may remain, but the
breaking does not.”
I am praying for each of you that has responded. I love you and care about your pain. I also care about the pain that created the
harshness in those who hurt you. None of
us begin by wanting to damage those we love.
We become those that damage others when we fail to wield love in
humility and grace. We harm others when
we do not stand strong in our faith that the love of Christ is sufficient to
protect us from all things. Please keep talking to me. I love you Dear Reader and you are part of my
gratitude story that says, “His armor is sufficient for you.”
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
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Bookings at aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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