THE NEED FOR SEPARATION

Genesis 12:1-2 NLT

The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.

I recall the day I told my mother during a phone call that I was leaving the Bahamas to move to Canada, it was almost as if she ignored that entire conversation and continued onto another topic until she was able to physically visit and express all the reasons I shouldn't leave. I believe in some cases physical separation from comfort, stability, from some family dysfunction is required to bring another level of blessings, healing and growth. At that point I never lived outside of the Bahamas and was always in close proximity to family members my daughter at this time was a pre-teen, I was a single parent. Alot of things ran across my mind "Lord how will I do this?" and "who will protect us?" I didn't have an encounter or relationship with God just yet; most of my understanding of him were through others like my parents. I was reading the Bible I think once a week on my day off slash my 'Sabbath' the day I kinda flopped around the house with nothing to do. Really it was nothing much. At that time I was dating but I knew I didn't want to carry that relationship along with me. I remember getting on the plane putting my earbuds in, closing my eyes and praying. I knew I wanted to begin something extraordinary really I was always 'different', I wanted something more at that point I wasn't sure exactly what it was but I felt this was the right direction. Fast-forwarding a few months into the move I had increased my prayer life, watching services online and visiting a church with my roomates. To be honest I don't know if I really believed or understood anything about God because culture, religiousness, family issues and maybe even loss tainted my desire and interest in becoming more familiar with Him. A few months later I had attended a leadership course, did mentorship and later became a leader myself, a mentor, started my own business, learned who I was, what I liked outside of anyone else (family, friends, church, pastor); I gained confidence not only in my spiritual life but in my personal life. As I developed and merged all aspects together returning home to culture, religion and some level of family dysfunction I realized I was totally different.

The Urban dictionary defines insanity as repeating the same sequences of events expecting a different outcome. The dysfunction in my family like many other things became insane to me, everyone lived in a cycle doing the same things over and over again with outcomes that reapeated itself over and over again through different generations. After weeks of prayer I had more clarity on what was happening and how to begin tackling these weeds. I went to the matriach of the family, my grandmother. There was scarring and pain that she had experienced that was being passed down and manifested in different ways in different members of the family. This was a Iyanla save my life moment for me, I was determined that as child of God we could no longer live in this dysfunction and keep saying that this was God!! This was not God he came so we can have abundance, he supplied his kids with love, joy and peace (Fruit of the Spirit). I didn't see any of that being displayed. Everyone was cynical, impertinent and brash, lashing out at any opportunity that presented itself. In Ephesians Paul talks about equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. What ministry? The people you were sent to, not necessarily 'a typical church' because we are the church. We are here to help others and that can be displayed in many different ways and for me it was/is helping to bring restoration to a family that over many generations were broken.

In which ways do you think God had to separate you? How do you know who you are called to 'help' and how were you able to help?

#separation #growth #singleseason #singlejourney #howtoobeygod