Our Heavenly Father Will Never Fail Us
Remnant Revelation #1 (Devotional) - Written by: H.C. Daniels
Read: Genesis 31:2-7
Key Verse: Genesis 31:3 (ESV) Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”
Overview: Separating from family members who operate in dysfunction, are unable to see it, and have an entitlement mindset concerning us can be difficult, especially when we have operated in it too. But our heavenly Father will never fail us as His adopted sons and daughters. He re-parents us forward with instruction, providing healing and protection as well.
Revelation 1: Jacob came from a bloodline of deceivers (Genesis 12 & 26), participated in his fair share of deceiving (Genesis 27) and married into it as well (Genesis 29). And his father-in-law, Laban, operated in deception on steroids. Jacob, for the first time, was on the receiving end of being deceived. Even though God protected him, after twenty years, Jacob had enough of the ongoing dysfunctional behavior between Laban and himself. If allowed to go on, Jacob might have continued to be protected by God in the midst of the deception but would have missed out on so much more God had in store for him and his family leaving it behind.
Revelation 2: Running from family dysfunction, whatever it may be, can be shocking, daunting, and not the easiest of tasks when God removes the scales from our eyes and reveals these types of areas in our lives in need of deep healing and correction. It’s because in most cases, the dysfunction didn’t start with us, we were born into it, and the resulting mindsets, patterns, and behaviors might have been the only “normal” we’ve known. However, God who is the source of our healing wants to partner with us to be cycle-breakers and lead us into a healthier and holier normal in Him. This is why it’s so important to seek and follow God’s instruction concerning our lives.
Revelation 3: God provided Jacob with instruction. Jacob responded to God’s instruction with faith that God would protect him from Laban as he took the necessary steps to leave behind not just Laban, but years and generations of dysfunctional behavior. God promised He would be with Jacob and He never failed him. God came to Laban in a dream and intervened to provide divine protection as Jacob fled Laban. Similarly, in our own lives, we might be called to an Exodus of the familiar because it might be necessary for God’s breakthrough and for His alignment or realignment of our lives with His purposes.
Personal Revelation for Reflection (Question for you): Have you ever, with God’s instruction, had to separate or put a boundary up with a family member in order to keep the peace or address dysfunctional behavior patterns? How did it work out for you?
My Revelation: Absolutely. I am a living witness, even at 40 (pretty symbolic), God can open your eyes to dysfunction that has gone under the radar for years. My family had huge patterns of codependent and controlling behaviors. Being born into it, and the controlling tactics being more subtle, it was hard to detect but damaging and hindering. Boundaries definitely had to be put up with God’s instruction. They were hard at first but very freeing and I am moving into so much purpose and God is restoring me in so many ways.
