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Eclipse of the Heart

God's Kindness Quest Series

Life left me broken beyond repair

Turned to isolation, trapped in that snare

 

Held people at a distance for self-protection
Too fearful of further rejection

 

Then, with power, Holy Spirit came to me

He also sent my future bride-to-be

 

I was a mess when we met at first

God empowered us to persevere through the worst

 

The Lord instilled lasting freedom and breakthrough

Establishing an amazing marriage as we grew

 

Many years of following God and having fun 

The future looks bright, partnering with the Son

 

Thank you, Lord, my spouse you did send

My wife, confidante, partner, and best friend

 

Every perfect gift is birthed from above

Father God turned fear of intimacy into abundant love

 

From the past wounds of rejection, I could not depart

Until God’s love performed an eclipse of my heart

Interactive Questions

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV), "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

  • What emotions, memories, thoughts, convictions, or inspirations bubbled up while reading the poem?

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  • Father God, what do you want me to know about my answers to the previous question? 

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  • Have you felt broken beyond repair? Describe. 

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  • What person or situation has caused you the most pain? Describe.

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  • What past wounds of rejection are still surfacing today? Describe.

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  • What mechanisms have you used to cope with the pain?

    • Examples: isolation; food; drugs; alcohol; numbing up; shutting down emotionally; avoiding intimacy; rejecting others before they can reject you, etc.

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  • If you are willing, ask the Lord to perform an eclipse of any brokenness remaining in your heart. 

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  • Lord, what did my heart look like before you eclipsed it? 

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  • Lord, what does my heart look like after you eclipsed it? 

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  • Sometimes God ministers to us personally. He also sends people into our lives who help us on our spiritual journey. They may be a pastor, spouse, friend, or other person.

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  • Who has God sent into your life to help you grow spiritually? Describe the progress.

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  • Lord, who have you sent to help me grow spiritually, but I have rejected them or not recognized your invitation?

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  • Why did you send them, and what were you desiring to accomplish through our interaction?

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  • Why:

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  • Desiring to accomplish: 

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  • As we grow spiritually, God will ask us to help others.

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  • Who has God placed in your path to encourage, teach, speak truth to, disciple, or pour into? 

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  • Have you accepted his invitation to be involved? If not, why?

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  • If you are mentoring someone, describe the progress, listing both the joys and frustrations.

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  • Joys:

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  • Frustrations: 

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  • Lord, what do you want me to know about the frustrations?

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  • Lord, who have you called me to pour into, but I missed or rejected your invitation? 

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  • ​Father God, is there anything else you want to share with me at this moment?

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Prayer

James 5:16 (NLT),  "... The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.​"

Father God, thank you that nothing is too difficult for you. Therefore, I am not broken beyond repair. Forgive me for using ungodly coping measures to deal with the pain and disappointments I've experienced. Isolating has been counter-productive and self-sabotaged intimacy. Self-protective efforts have proven ineffective and fed independence, instead of relying on you. I give you the wounds of rejection, along with any resulting pain, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, and despair. I ask you to step into my storehouse of pain and eclipse it with your love.

 

Thank you for the people you sent to help with my spiritual journey. Forgive me where I’ve rejected them and the value of what they had to offer. I ask you to bless them in a special way. 

 

Forgive me for the times I’ve not stepped up to fulfill your invitation to pour into others. Where I accepted your invitation and have felt frustrated with the process or results, I lay those frustrations at the Cross. Help me make the necessary adjustments in my attitudes and interactions. Grant me the strength, courage, wisdom, and heart to respond joyfully to your invitations.

 

Today, I choose hope. Today, I choose courage. Today, I choose life abundantly. Lord, today, I receive your love, loving others out of the overflow. Amen.

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  • Lord, what did this prayer activate in accordance with James 5:16?

 

  • ​Tweak the existing prayer as desired or craft a new personalized one.

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Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT), "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true ..."

Isaiah 61:1 (NLT)

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed."

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1 John 4:16-17 (NLT)

"We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect ..."

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  • List meaningful Bible verses which come to mind regarding this poem, the interactive questions, and prayer.

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