“Some of our deepest hurts are incurred within the context of our most intimate relationships.  When we give ourselves completely to another and that person loves us back, we experience bliss.  But what if we give ourselves completely and meet with rejection?  Or what if we are loved for a time and then abandoned?  How do we deal with the memory of such rejection?  How do we deal with the wounds we incur?

When trust is broken in a marriage or in a romantic relationship, we inevitably feel hurt.  But the depth of our hurt and its ability to destroy us depends on where our sense of self comes from.  As Christians, we are called to be rooted and grounded in Christ.  His Spirit is to occupy our souls, guiding and directing, building up the life of God within us.  Our self belongs only to Him.  But if someone else occupies that central, holy place, the loss of relationship can destroy us.”

– Ann Spangler from “The Peace God Promises” (Zondervan, 2011)