This song listed below, "If We're Honest" by Francesca Battistelli is so awesome. It speaks about one of the most common problems people have in this world - whether they are younger, older, male or female, single, dating someone or married or widowed -- dealing with unresolved "baggage issues." Everyone has had problems with bad situations that have happened in their life and unfortunately, many do not understand how to deal with these things. If we don't recognize these issues and make a proactive effort to work through them with the Lord's help, then we will continue to have even more problems in every area of our life, which will adversely and negatively affect everyone we're involved with, whether it be the spouse, the boyfriend/girlfriend, co-workers, neighbors, family members, friends, etc. They will over-react to us and we will over-react to them. But thankfully it IS possible to work through these things, even though it does take time and effort on our part as well as our faith and trust in the Lord to help us - regardless of whether we are single, dating or married to someone.
Even if the people we care about in our lives are struggling with these things, we need to be more compassionate and understanding of what they're going through and willing to help them if we can (without being a rescuer or fixer-upper).
Thankfully the Lord has helped me to resolve my baggage issues years ago, and I can see the "big picture" and the difference it has made in my life -- even though sometimes the Enemy, Satan, will try and use the past to remind me of those things I struggled with, which is why I have to keep looking forward and not keep looking back.
We have to always keep in mind that it is never too late to deal with these "issues." We know that in every stage of life we will experience some difficult things, but we can work through them if we're willing to rely on the Lord.
The song "If We're Honest" (lyrics and link below) is specifically about two people who are connected together, whether as good friends, a dating couple or a married couple - and how they can overcome these things if they're willing to deal with it in the Lord's way and then they ultimately become people who bring Honor to His name because they're "honest," transparent, real and care deeply about each other.
Another good and positive thing to remember is that if we trust the Lord to help us work through these issues, then we will become stronger emotionally, relationally, spiritually, and in every other way, and the Lord will use us in the future to help others who are going through the same thing. We will see that nothing is ever wasted in God's economy and that even if we make bad choices and mistakes, He will forgive us and/or help us to forgive others who have hurt us. He will help us to move forward and to keep looking ahead in His direction -- not our own.
If We're Honest - by Francesca Battistelli
Truth is harder than a lie
The dark seems safer than the light
And everyone has a heart that loves to hide
I'm a mess and so are you
We've built walls nobody can get through
Yeah, it may be hard, but the best thing we could ever do,
ever do
CHORUS:
Bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine
Cause love can heal what hurt divides
And mercy's waiting on the other side
If we're honest
If we're honest
Don't pretend to be something that you're not
Living life afraid of getting caught
There is freedom found when we lay
our secrets down at the cross, at the cross
CHORUS:
Bring your brokenness, and I'll bring mine
'Cause love can heal what hurt divides
And mercy's waiting on the other side
If we're honest
If we're honest
It would change our lives
It would set us free
It's what we need to be
If we're honest
If we're honest
Here's a link to another blog entry on "baggage claims" and how the Lord can help us get through these things!
