Prayer request

[Elizabeth]

I am requesting prayers as well. I have recently had spiritual difficulty and I am having a rough time overcoming it. The last trip to visit my husband's family was extremely difficult for me and I have had a lot of trouble letting go of the hurt. I literally felt like something was on me from all the heavy evil spite his family struggles with. I can't explain how it felt, but if you have experienced it or ever do (I hope not), you will know it. Anyway, I am still trying to overcome it.

I am not able to pray as completely as before. It has gotten better, but I still feel a block of unforgiveness that I need to overcome to find some ground for compassion. I need to be able to pray fully for his family. His mom has terminal cancer.  She is not in a good place with G-d or my husband, whom she has refused o talk to for months. This kind of junk is what he has lived with all his life; pain, confusion, and dysfunction.

I learned so much about his family this last trip. I have more understanding for my husband, but now no hope for his mother. I worry about the pain she is causing my husband and know G-d is trying to get her attention, but I have a hard time forgiving her the way I am commanded to.

I need to find hope enough to pray for them, but I can't till I overcome my own struggle . If you could pray for me, and to make up for my weakness, pray for my husband and his family please. I don't have a congregation to take this to and my husband has very little relationship with G-d so we both could really use some intercession.

[alon]

I will pray for you. And I know the kind of anger, spite, manipulation and estrangement you are talking about. My Dad's family is that way. It is a killer, physically and even worse spiritually. You are correct that forgiveness is key, but it is difficult and is also often a day-to-day and even minute-by-minute thing. If there is abuse of any kind leveled at you or the children, you need to make it clear to your husband that you expect him to stand up for you and put a stop to it. I've had to do that with both my dad's family and my wife's. It's our job as husband to protect our own family first.

I find praying for my enemies helps. I usually pray for both a blessing and a curse- mostly the blessing that they will come around. The curse is simple; if they don't, then I leave them with God to deal with. If God at any point forgives them, they are truly forgiven and I accept that and forgive also. If not, it is out of my hands. I also make sure to pray that He helps me to forgive and let it all go as well. Now it is in His hands, and I've prayed for nothing more than how He deals with all of us anyhow. It's as much an acknowledgement of His sovereignty as anything else, except now I have actively prayed for it and am responsible to do my part and be ready to forgive if they do come around; holding no malice if they don't. That's just how I handle it.

Does it always work? No, and yes. I sometimes still have bouts of anger towards the doctors who ruined me. But I am also able to get a handle on it pretty quick and hand it back to God. Family of course can be a bit different because of all the interaction with others. But I've been able to make an uneasy peace with those who are the problems. I have very little direct interaction with them, and I don't get sucked into any of the back-talking. This is just how I handle what sounds to be a very similar problem. It may work for you too, if you want to try. The only caveat is don't let them be abusive to your kids or divisive to your family. That will effect the kids all their lives. You and your husband need to have a serious talk if that is the case.

Just a suggestion. Hope it helps.

Dan C

[Questor]

I too am praying for you all. It is so hard for everyone these days because the circumstances of all of us in this broken world, and being in broken bodies is so very evident, and cause a great deal of suffering.

Be comforted, for G-d will certainly come to your aid.

Q

[Elizabeth]

Thank you for your prayers. I truly believe they are helping me. We had my daughter's birthday dinner yesterday and for the first time in months we had real joy and peace as a family. G-d is a present member of the family when we let Him be. I hadn't had that feeling in a long time. G-d has a way of helping us focus our hearts and priorities in a way that protects them while still keeping them open. You have to have Him to accomplish that. It's like a breath of fresh air to remember what it feels like to depend on His wisdom and peace instead of struggling to somehow make my own. I truly believe He heard you and I am blessed because of you.

[jimmie]

you will be in my prayers as well.