Skip to main content

Journey to change(WHEN I HATED MY DAD 2)

Did you know that hurting people hurt people...
take a while to let that sink..
any one who has been hurt knowingly or unknowingly hurts others
either by shutting them out,venting out frustrations on them or by out rightly
doing or saying things that end up hurting another person...a vicious circle eh.

This revelation was what did it for me...
The only way I could embrace change was understand why I had to change
not just for me..But for my dad..He was hurting...and I was hurting too
The moment I began to see things in that light..the easier it was for me to
begin the process.
I wanted things to be different,I wanted the loving father daughter relationship
I wanted peace at home...and only God's intervention could change the way things where.

I remember at that point praying for help and it felt like God was saying are you ready to let
me in..to allow me remake you like the potter repairs a marred clay...yes I cried over and over again
and He said very well then..Let the process Begin..these are a few  of the classes I went through in my journey of change.

I remember the very 1st lesson was going through the FORGIVENESS CLASS...
Forgive ?........why should I be the one to forgive..I struggled with this for months..the longer I disobeyed the longer my stay in this class.I had to forgive daddy for all the things He did and did not do...not only that I had to start remembering things differently since it was hard for me to forget,I had to see things through eyes of love and mercy and make excuses for him..this was the hardest class and it was a continuous assignment,Forgive daily.

THE PILLOW CLASS..remember I said I had a sharp tongue and I was hot headed and rude..my greatest change was going to be holding back and not talking back at my dad..
I couldn't keep quiet..
it didn't matter who was right or wrong...so the lord had to take me through the pillow class,every time there was a quarrel brewing and every time I felt the urge to respond in my usual brash manner
I would go to my room and scream under my pillow...that really helped,slowly and gradually I learnt how to bite my tongue and shut up..and before I spoke I had to revise what I wanted to say in my head and many times
I ended up not saying them because I knew too well what would happen.

and then the EXPECTATION CLASS..I was to give love and respect and expect nothing back,I was to keep working at myself and not expect a commendation.....and this was really tough
I was trying so hard,doing things without being told,getting back home before curfew,performing chores I would struggle to do before,but not even a thank you or well done..
give and expect nothing back was the assignment in this class,not so easy I must say..

and then I had to have a picture of what I wanted and hold on to it regardless of how long it took
to get there...God had to work on my mentality..I had to accept that great relationships existed
and the fact that there were many negative testimonies of parents around me didn't mean that mine wasn't  going to be different.. Things could change,I had to believe that and confess that,
so I stopped talking about how terrible my dad was and I started confessing that He was different.

Now the fact that you have decided to change does not necessarily mean that automatically the other person in question would change at the same time..
This whole process takes time..but the beauty in all of this is that..change can be perceived,it can be seen..when you are wrapped up in your world of change,things and people around you begin to change especially when God is involved..

I remember one of the very first miracles I Experienced in my relationship with my dad..
God laid it in my heart to pray for Him so I decided to pray at midnight for 3 days,it was a weekend
and he was away..so I was home alone...I prayed earnestly and I prayed as I was led by the holy spirit
Dad got back on Mon and we barely said much to each other..
Tuesday morning 5am...I hear a knock on my door..dad wants to speak to me...we head outside
in the cool of the morning that has not even dawned,My father apologies for everything he had said and done,He ensues for peace,and he blesses me.
I never thought it could happen so soon...while I focused on changing me..God worked on my father's heart,I stood in disbelief,God was truly amazing.
While I changed and began to obey and honour him God played his part..changing my dad
As I gave love...My dad responded to love..there was still work to be done
but this was evidence that indeed,things could get better between us..

When I saw the effect of my decision to change me..I was determined not to stop there
but to go all the way...I decided to love much more,pray more and give more.....
Where there times the old me showed up,yes..but I didn't dwell there,I remembered who I had become and what I wanted and I kept pressing on.
Where there times we had arguments and disagreements,yes but I had learnt how to season my words with salt and speak in love...
where there times the memories of our past resurfaced yes...but the reality of our present was stronger than the past...

Today..I see how changed my dad is..How loving,kind and selfless He is...
How He treats my younger ones,How he loves and worries over His children
and I wonder....what If I had not changed..
I also wonder what if I had grown to be a woman with all the anger and aggression in me..
What if I had not allowed God get rid of all the negative habits and character flaws...
who and what would I be Today....

Relationships are what fighting for..and God is in the ministry of restoring and reconciling
whether we like it or not...relationships have a strong impact on us and they make or mare
us....
The steps I went through to change can apply to any relationship;father/daughter
son/mother/,husband/wife,brother/sister of even in mere friendship
and regardless of how bad a relationship is believe me...things can get better
Desire a change and be the change and with God...you would sing a different song.
God bless you.

Would love to hear from you...please feel free to drop a comment or ask a question..
you can also send a personal message through email to thiswomanoffaith@yahoo.com






Comments

Unknown said…
beautiful piece, thank God for giving u this story in ur lifetime.. you're truly a blessing
Stella Agwor said…
Amen darln...thanks alot..we never know what experiences God is willing to use for his glory..especially the things we want to hide..Grateful I am better,wiser and stronger because of this...God bless you dear
Unknown said…
Very touching post. I went through the same thing with my mother. I had to change me and let God work on her. Thank you for sharing I can definitely relate. God bless you and your family.
Stella Agwor said…
Thanks Niekka for reading and commenting...I am so glad you can relate to this and am proud of you for letting God work in you,May He continue to perfect all that concerns you,Many blessings luv.
Unknown said…
Fantastic piece ! Yes , things can only get better and we have to be that change !! Well said my sister .. God bless the hands of your work , Amen

Popular posts from this blog

My Case Is Different...

Shutting my eyes I can vividly remember every time someone has tried to discourage me from launching out or dreaming big based on someone else's experience or failure... sometimes it has been said unconsciously,without even thinking... The moment you mention your intention and desires,there is always someone who is ready with an example of someone else's story... Who says I have to apply 10 times before I get a visa to a foreign country Who says I have to have a god-father before I get that dream job Who says I have to attend 5 interviews and receive 5 rejections before I get the job Who says I have to wait and wait,fall into wrong hands and then learn from my mistakes before I eventually  find my prince charming.. Who says I have to have connections to get ahead in life... My case is different... I am not a statistic...my case is different The fact that it happened to 4 or 6 people you know doesn't mean it would happen to me my case is

I AM NOT DEAD YET

I am not much of the gardening type as much as I love flowers and pot plants, It takes quite a bit of an effort for me to give the flowers and pot plants in my front yard the attention they deserve... but I must admit they add such beauty and charm to my front yard. lately I have just been too pre-occupied with all that has been happening in my life and around me to even notice that I have plants to feed and nurture.. 2 weeks ago I noticed that they had all withered and the leaves were dry,brittle and falling,especially with the summer.. I sighed in regret..if only I wasn't too consumed with myself maybe my lovely front yard would have been preserved. I gave up,maybe it was too late to salvage the situation. I might just try I said to myself and see what difference it makes.. I set out a couple of days ago to water the plants...I had just a small bowl of water.. and as I went back inside to get more water..I got distracted and never got round to fully watering the

THANKSGIVING..

I have never had to struggle for want of what to write but I have literally spent the past minutes just staring at my screen.... where do I start from is the issue at hand How do I compress the faithfulness of GOD to me in just a post...hmmmm.. I turn 28 today..yet it seems I have been here longer.. I marvel at the quality and the richness of my life.. The wealth of experience and all that God has invested in me... For all his many blessings,For his favour and his Presence  Lord for all these and more..I say thank you I woke up today with gratitude,with a heart full of praise...God has been Good to me.. I take a walk down memory lane and I go back 15 years  to a time when I first accepted Jesus. What I am most grateful for is this decision I made to follow hard after JESUS A lot of times I failed Him,strayed away,messed up,blew my chances But His mercy never ceased and  I kept seeking and running after him.. I have come a long way 15 years later,I still love the lord r