SURRENDERELLA PART 6

Holding on to our Private, Painful, and Polluted Things

 

Over the past few blogs, we have examined the challenges Surrenderella, whose married name is Princess Beloved, (even though she has not fully received her True Identity yet) has had.  First, she laid aside her authority, the crown, and the scepter.

 

Secondly, she opened her old trunk and put on the old head rag she used to wear which represented her OLD Identity. We understand that in order for her to survive in her previous environment of rejection, abasement, and ridicule, she learned to become a Pleaser and a Performer which were old flesh patterns.

 

Thirdly, in Surrenderella’s trunk were also precious things, private things, painful things, and polluted things. When Surrenderella moved into the castle, just as she was, her Beloved Prince accepted her just as she was, knowing she had lived a life of a pauper or peasant; he wasn’t deterred by that fact.

 

Finally, we also discovered from our last blog that Surrenderella’s Precious things were those she held dear:

• Picture – of mom and dad wishing for the way things were or could have been
• Cleaning Brush – her identity as a housekeeper, caretaker, and cook
• Blanket – (comforter) used to escape to and find comfort in
• Stuffed animal– she believed, “I have someone or something that understands me.”
• Trunk – a place to hide her things
• Key to trunk – she believed, “I am in control, it is all mine!”

 

We learned to hold on to our Precious things keep us bound to the past and we can’t live in the presence and enjoy the fullness of all our Prince Beloved Jesus Christ has provided for us to enjoy with Him.

 

As Prince Beloved and the Holy Spirit patiently watches over his bride as she struggles with the pain of her past, today, let’s look into her trunk to examine the final things she brought along with her to her NEW LIFE in the castle and kingdom of Prince Beloved. What are her Private, Painful, and Polluted things?

 

 

 

Private things are those things she keeps secret. These are things she hides in or escapes to when life gets difficult for her:

• Diary– to keep all of her secrets, memories, reflections of her past and present and the story of how she really feels about herself

• Old shoes – used to run away to the past or run away to her fantasy world any time

 

We all have our private things or places we retreat to such as television, movies, drinking, drugs, working, hobbies, shopping, talking on the phone, reading, or activities. It is our escape where people are off-limits; it is our oasis from life and a hiding place even from the ones we love and who love us.

 

Painful things – these are things she dwells on over and over again. These are events that caused her sadness, grief, loss, or traumatic experiences.

• Picture – of her step-family, loss of family, and relationship
• Grief and loss – the painful memories of losing her parents
• Isolation – she learned to be alone and isolated, ‘her own little world’
• Emotional abuse – she dwelled on the abuse and words of rejection she received by her step-family and others who treated her unfairly
• Constant rejection – she often reflected on her fears, treatments, and acts of intimidation administered to her by her step-family

 

Finally, she has in her trunk Polluted things. Polluted things are the things that contaminate her thoughts and emotions, also known as “trash” that keeps her focused on her past rather than her NEW life in her present.

• Holding to a victim mentality – “I will never be good enough.” “No one loves me.” “I will never measure up to Prince Beloved’s standards or meet his expectations.”
• “Stinking Thinking”- “I don’t deserve to be here!” “What does Prince Beloved see in me?” “I must prove to Him I can be a good wife by doing things that will please Him.”

 

Prince Beloved and Surrenderella’s relationship was also impacted by her not having healthy attachment or bonding experiences. Since she had never experienced true intimacy with anyone since the death of her parents, Surrenderella learned to guard herself and build protective walls from the surrounding people.

 

From the beginning, it appeared this relationship would become another casualty of divorce, or would it? The truth is, Prince Beloved knew who he was marrying and where she had come from. He  learned of her painful past before they said: “I do.” And, he was willing to sacrifice Himself for his beloved because he loved her. Prince Beloved knew she couldn’t reciprocate the same love towards him without her willingness to trust him and receive his love. The Prince knew it would take time and an unconditional love on his part to wean his bride from her trunk in order for her to devote her whole being to him. He was willing to give ALL of himself to her to be loved by his dear Princess Beloved.

 

Just like Prince Beloved, what amazing love our Lord Jesus has for us! He brought us into His kingdom and palace just as we were before we were ever born… because He created us for Himself. He knew we believed we were just peasants and paupers with a very painful and worthless past, but He knew the truth of who we really were… when we didn’t know. He knew as we were discovering the truth of our TRUE IDENTITY, we were going to neglect Him by choosing to look into our trunks and relive our past and all of its regrets. He knew we would try to find our identity in “doing things for Him” rather than enjoy being with Him… but He loved us, anyway. He knew we had built all kinds of walls to protect ourselves and wouldn’t allow Him to get too close but rather substitute intimacy for works… but He loved us, anyway. He knew we would rather read the newspaper, watch television, watch our favorite movies, work, hide, or pretend to be someone we really are not, rather than spend time laughing and talking to Him… but He loved us, anyway. What kind of love is this our Prince pursues us even when we hide from Him? This love is called AMAZING, SPECTACULAR, UNPRECEDENTED, UNBELIEVABLE, ALL CONSUMING LOVE, AND I LONG FOR NOTHING AND NO ONE ELSE!! All He longs for us to do is to ‘let go’ of the things in our trunks and give them to Him and allow Him to tear down our walls that separate us from His love. He longs for us to enjoy ALL the wonderful things that are ours in His awesome Kingdom RIGHT NOW!

 

 

The Believer’s life is to be a simple one… it is one of surrendering or letting go of our trunks of precious, private, painful, and polluted things along with our will and allow our Lord’s WILL to be done through us. It is one of daily trust and dependence upon the ONE who is our Life and is the ONLY SOURCE of REAL LIFE!

 

In our final blog, Surrenderella gave her trunk to her husband and Prince Beloved, see what happens next… I can’t wait!

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being so patient with me. It has taken years to trust you and yield my whole heart and soul to you. But I am so grateful You knew me and understood me when I didn’t understand myself. Your Grace is truly Amazing! And, today, I surrender to you my precious, private, painful, and polluted things to You. Do with me as it pleases You. Amen