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Orphanage of the Heart

God's Kindness Quest Series

There is an orphanage in my heart

Shattered pieces of me hide there, afraid to depart

 

When bad things happened, I retreated there to dwell

Including horrific events, when others coerced me not to tell

 

Emotionally, I was ill-equipped to handle the invasion 

Felt powerless, defiled, and orphaned on each occasion 

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Entrapped and ashamed, the pain cuts deep

The torment is endless, even in sleep

 

The clock of life ticks on as I suppress the unhealed past

Pretending nothing happened, but that won’t last

 

Nobody enjoys revisiting painful stuff

Often perceiving the pursuit of freedom as too tough

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Father God invites every orphaned heart to be free of pain

To which the enemy whispers, don’t bother; it will be in vain

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I asked God to visit the orphanage in my heart

He knows how to fix it; he’s extremely smart

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With one drop of God’s love, the orphanage doors blew apart

He annihilated the prison entrance in my heart

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Father God restored my orphaned heart, one piece at time

Then signed adoption papers declaring, "You Are Mine"

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His signature, Father to the Fatherless

The gift of adoption by my Heavenly Father, priceless

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God’s love leaves no room for an orphanage in my heart

Adoption by God can’t be duplicated; it's a gift only he can impart

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Receive your true identity; it’s not too late

Adoption by Father God is forever, no expiration date

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 ever felt alone, abandoned, left to fend for yourself? If so, describe.

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  • Lord, what do you want me to know about those situations?

 

 

  • Lord, how are orphaned mindsets reflected in my actions? 

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  • Lord, what do you want me to know about those mindsets and actions?

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  • Lord, from your perspective, is my heart open, vibrant, full and overflowing with your love, joy, and peace, or is it hardened and impeded?

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  • Lord, have I closed my heart to others? ​If so, how and why?

    • Examples: ​

      • I regulate and control my level of giving and receiving love​.

      • I can give love, but not receive it, or vice versa.

      • I am numb to my emotions and shutdown.

      • I have an invisible "Do Not Cross" tape around my heart.

      • I keep people at arm's length, due to fear of being hurt again.

      • My heart is raw with fresh wounds from all the daggers and arrows others have inflicted.

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  • Lord, have I closed my heart to you? ​If so, how and why?

    • Examples:

      • I blame you for allowing the wounding to occur or continue. 

      • I don't trust you to protect me.

      • I have judged you to be an absentee Father. 

      • I have unresolved anger toward you.

      • I have questions you have left unanswered.

      • I am disappointed with you. ​​

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  • How do I cooperate with you in restoring my heart to its original design?

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  • Lord, what is hindering me from fully receiving your adoption? 

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  • Lord, how do I get freedom from those hindrances? 

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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.​"

Lord, I’ve constructed protective walls, which surround my heart. My intention was to keep pain out. However, those walls actually locked in the pain and heartbreak, giving no access to love or healing. 

 

I've been in denial, believing somehow the pain would vanish. I've blamed you and everyone else, never dealing with the anger, bitterness, resentment, and brokenness. I've coped by trying to regulate and control the level of closeness in relationships. It's caused me to feel lonely, isolated, abandoned, and unfulfilled. I have withheld love, fearing continued rejection and wounding. I've lived like an orphan, even though you and others have tried to help me receive love.

 

Forgive me for considering myself an orphan. I give you the pain, rejection, guilt, shame, disappointment, and tormenting memories of the past, including everything I identified. I give you the walls of self-protection, along with the “Do Not Cross” tape. I invite you to minister to me regarding the accumulated heart wounds. Mend my shattered heart, as only you can. Restore my innocence, trust, joy, inner peace, and sleep.

 

Father God, thank you for never leaving or forsaking me, even when I couldn’t tell you were there. Thank you for promising to be a Father to the Fatherless. I receive your adoption. Teach me how to receive and give godly love. Amen. 

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

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

Scripture

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

Psalm 68:5 (NLT)

“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows - this is God, whose dwelling is holy.”

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Romans 8:15 (NLT)

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father’.”

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Ezekiel 36:26 (NLT)

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart."

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

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