Shiloh Place Ministries
Seeing The World Experience the Father's Healing Love
Through the Hearts of the Leaders
www.shilohplace.org

Exposing the Roots of the Spiritual Orphan Part 2
From Slavery to Sonship

Experiencing a revelation of the Father's love and living life as if we have a home is often hindered by our unhealthy fear of His discipline in our life (Hebrews 12:7-10). When things seem to be going wrong, we subconsciously think it wise to keep our distance from others and from Father God and may try to handle the pain and disappointment ourselves. A lack of basic trust may be at the very root. As long as our image of Father God produces within us fear or condemnation and not compassionate, forgiving love, it becomes easy to act more like orphans (servants) than sons or daughters.

At 17, Sarah went through several weeks of deep rejection in school. Once more, during a time of personal crisis, she separated herself from me during her time of need. My heart ached at the separation I felt. I longed for her to run to my affectionate embrace so that I could wipe the tears from her eyes and hold her until the feelings of rejection went away. But something in her seemed to drive her to isolate herself from the very one who loved her and could comfort her the most: her daddy! Even while affirmation, acceptance, and belonging in her daddy's arms were only footsteps away, she once more fell into the roots and ungodly beliefs of feeling like a spiritual orphan. The distance I felt left me with a deep inner grief and the cry, "What did I do to cause her to separate her heart from my love?"

After three weeks of daily struggling with loneliness, insecurities, and fears, she finally came to Trisha and me and asked us to pray for her. Our prayer went something like this: "Father, show us at what time in Sarah's life she ceased receiving me as her daddy and allowing me to comfort, protect, and parent her!" Several minutes passed, and then Sarah remembered an incident at five years of age when she ran and jumped into my lap while I was seated. Her knee happened to hit me in a very private place and caused much of my hidden core pain to surface. As a subconscious response to my agony, I threw her through the air and across the room onto the couch. She wasn't hurt physically, but she began to weep uncontrollably as basic trust was broken. I did not intentionally wound her. It was a reaction to my own pain. But my little girl, who was created to run into her daddy's arms and receive love and comfort, lost basic trust, and a fear of submitting to my love began to take root in her mind, will, and emotions. The root of feeling like a spiritual orphan was watered and grew over the years by my inability to express tender love, nurture, and affection, and her reaction and judgment to that.

As we prayed over that memory of the five-year old girl, Sarah wept uncontrollably for 15 minutes in my arms as expressed love, comfort, and forgiveness began the process of healing and restoring basic trust. Since that day, the ability for Sarah to trust me during times when she is in need of comfort, healing, and admonition has been steadily increasing. As a result, Sarah has given me a precious and priceless gift ­ knowing that now I have as special a place in her heart as she has always had in mine! This has broken much of the hardness and fear off Sarah's heart, and her relationships are becoming increasingly more healthy. She is finding the joy of receiving life as a daughter who has the favor of her mom and dad. No longer does she live her life as if she does not have a home. Our prayer for her, now that she is 19 and growing into a beautiful woman, is for a divine exchange to take place ­ that she go from her daddy being her source of safety, comfort, and love to the Heavenly Father being the One in whom she is able to find rest, security, and identity ­ that she daily hear His voice clearly saying to her, "Sarah, you are the daughter whom I love and in whom My favor rests!" No longer living like a spiritual orphan, but at home in Father's love!

The root of feeling like a spiritual orphan is one of the greatest hindrances to people receiving their healing and walking in expressed love, intimacy, and in healthy relationships. It takes basic trust being restored in order to daily feel secure enough to receive the love that is needed to heal our wounded hearts. The more love and comfort we are able to receive, the less fearful we are of opening our hearts to intimate, loving relationships. We must be willing to let go of our need to suppress our childhood pain and to control our emotions in order to open our hearts to receive the Father's healing love and to walk in true intimacy with others.

That is a defining moment, when basic trust was lost and your ability to receive love and healing was hindered. Find a quiet place to pray and wait upon the Lord. Let your memory get in touch with the emotions of that day. Where was Jesus that day? You were not alone. From the moment you were conceived in your mother's womb, God has not left nor forsaken you (Psalms 22:9-10; 139:13-24; Isaiah 49:15-16; Hebrews 13:5-6). He has promised not to leave you feeling like an orphan. He will come to you (Psalms 27:10; John 14:18-23). There has never been a moment in time when God has not pursued you with His love and sought to purify, cleanse, and restore you (Jeremiah 1:5; 31:3; Isaiah 53:4-5; 66:11-13).

I am not saying for you to use your imagination or visualization, but to get in touch with the pain and loneliness of the moment when you cut yourself off from receiving a parent's love. Look throughout the memory and see if you can see what Jesus was doing when you were closing your heart to love. Can you see Him? What is He saying to you? Be still and listen! Allow Him to speak words of comfort, acceptance, and belonging. Even if you feel like you are not receiving anything, then meditate upon the scriptures that are listed. Play some soft and gentle music that expresses Father's love for you and allow Him to rejoice over you with singing as you wait to experience His love and the restoration of basic trust (Zephaniah 3:17).

You really are perfectly and unconditionally loved and accepted by Father God. There is nothing a baby can do to be loved but to receive it! Just be willing to lower the walls, fears, and insecurities, and His perfect love will cast out the fear of submission and healthy, loving relationships. You were created for love! Freely receiving and giving love is your destiny! (I John 4:16-19; Genesis 1:26)

In the Father's love,
Jack & Trisha Frost

We have an audio-tape series on this subject, entitled "From Slavery to Sonship."
Call or write SPM, or log on to our website to place an order.

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Conway, SC 29528, USA
(843) 365-8990
http://www.shilohplace.org
info@shilohplace.org