I had a conversation with a friend the other week who was heartbroken that her family home had been sold. It was the first time in a long time I struggled to feel the emotions she was feeling. Because I had never had a permanent family home to grow in. While my parents were together, we seemed to move what felt like every year. Along with so many temporary rented houses, my school life was just as chaotic as we moved from state to state.
There were no particular memories I could treasure, no height charts drawn on walls with our growth. No special trees or plants we valued, and my heart ached. The only family home I truly thought I had was the church my husband and I had attended for a decade, and yet… that was gone also.
I sat outside that day after leaving my friend and thought… have I always felt alone? Was it really that easy to keep moving on with a simple goodbye because I knew I’d probably never see those people from my childhood again? And why was I grieving something I never truly had?
A childhood home…
Maybe you don’t relate to my story of a childhood home. Maybe your story is the loneliness of growing up through divorce or growing up poor and not having what others had. Maybe you related to calling church your family and then losing that connection and feeling out in the world on your own. We all have something in our past that left us feeling empty or disconnected.
The enemy is good at what he does. Don’t underestimate what he can do because he’s had plenty of practice. He will pull you into your past through a simple conversation, a song on the radio, a fleeting memory. He will have you putting yourself down, focusing on the pain another has caused, hurting over things you didn’t have. But he can’t steal God’s love or provision, and that’s where we need to begin to shift. To use the brokenness, wade through its cracks, and see the picture from God’s point of view.
Here’s the beauty in my story…
What I grew up without, my boys have been blessed to grow up with! God gave me a husband and three children and guess what… they get to grow and remember their childhood house. The memories we made, the renovations, the trees we planted, the chicken coop we built, the cubby house they spent hours a day in. That has God all over it, am I right?
The enemy is a tricky little pest. Wanting you to focus on the things that will hold you captive, remind you of what you didn’t have, and have you forget all that God gave.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:2
This verse pulls my focus back to the blessings in my life now. The family I’ve built, the home we’ve created together, and the love that fills our walls. These are the things that truly matter.
Don't let the devil steal your joy by making you focus on what you didn't have. Instead, cherish what you have now. God has blessed you with more than you realize.
What about you? Have you experienced a similar struggle with letting go of the past? Or maybe you’ve found beauty in unexpected blessings? Share your story in the comments – I’d love to hear how God has worked in your life!
Love Sarah xx.
*Thank you so much for sticking with me every week! Every share, comment, and recommendation is a total blessing to this little space of mine. Did you know you can also become a paid subscriber and help me keep producing more content or donate? No pressure, just an option. Your support means the world to me and helps keep this ministry running. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me!
Thank you so much for this!!!
You have NO IDEA how spot on this is for me.
I needed to hear this and appreciate it very much.
✨️🙏✨️ Thank you, thank you Sarah. Echo what Mariska said in her comment. EXACTLY what I needed to hear. Born and brought up in church; they were my big dysfunctional family🥹. I was 54 when we had to leave. 13 yrs. later I'm still caught in the cycle of grief ~ a legitimate grief in so many ways ~ but you are SO RIGHT about the enemy of my soul. Sooo flippin crafty. Thank you for reminding me of God's unrelenting mercy. "They are new every morning." Much love to you. 🩷