Life in the world of bipolar emotions confuses me, which is absolutely NO secret, and never more than when issues of authority are involved. That is how I got into an abusive dynamic in my marriage, and what makes it hard to keep healthy boundaries now.

In contrast, God is NOT confused. He hates leaders using their authority to abuse. It is the opposite of Who He Is, against everything He stands for, and required His Son’s death to conquer. Nothing in the world/dynamics of hidden disabilities changes that (if you’re speed reading, slow down and let that sink in.)

So God has been using Ezekiel 34 to clear up my mental and emotional windshield like (new) windshield wipers. (It’s an Old Testament book, I confess, which I never read in my youth, but LOVE right now.):

He tells abusive authorities exactly where they miss the boat -

“those who are sickly you have not strengthened,

the diseased you have not healed,

the broken you have not bound up,

the scattered you have not brought back,

nor have you sought for the lost;

but with force and severity you have dominated them.”

It helps me to see how mad God was at them … because He is NOT LIKE THAT. He strengthens, heals, binds up, seeks, provides, protects. If you’ve been often mistreated under an abusive authority, even if a mental or emotional diagnosis was involved, you know how easy it is to get confused and shrink from God because He has ALL authority, and that could only mean going from bad to worse.

Is this a part of your story too? Your GOOD Shepherd really understands. He understands those cloudy and gloomy days in your life with abuse that messed with your mind and heart. That’s why He made this exquisite list of GOOD things He longs to do for you with His authority –

• lead you to rest….wouldn’t that feel wonderful?
• seek you when you feel lost,
• bring you back when your thoughts and emotions are scattered,
• bind you up when you are broken,
• strengthen you when you are sick…
• and cause showers of blessing to come down on you.

“I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. (He initiates rescue)

As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep,

so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day…

I will feed My flock and lead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD.

“I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered,

bind up the broken and strengthen the sick…

and I will cause showers to come down in their season;

they will be showers of blessing.”

Ezekiel 34: 11, 12, 15, 16, 26

From my heart, to yours, about HIS heart for us,

Joan