Have you ever had an unpleasant experience with someone from your church, work or a relative that left you feeling confused, deeply hurt or disillusioned? Well, I have a name for this type of experience: friendly fire. The easiest way to describe ‘friendly fire’ is to say that it occurs when someone we know seems to attack us with their words and behaviors. Simply put, ‘friendly fire’ occurs when we direct negative actions or words (weapons) at each other. ‘Friendly fire’ is synonymous with gossip, rumors, shunning, and cliques; and often results in offended and emotionally wounded people.
One of the most damaging results of friendly fire is when someone, because of a painful relational experience, withdraws from others; and more importantly decides completely remove themselves from spiritual, social, work or family settings. I identify these individuals as ‘casualties.’ There are others who express feelings of isolation and alienation from friends, family, co-workers or members of the church they attend who I identify as ‘walking wounded.’
For many, finding the road that will take them through the process of individual healing is an important part of remaining connected or reconnecting to people. I feel fortunate that after I had a ‘friendly fire’ experience several years ago at the church I was attending I did find the road to healing, which kept me from leaving Christianity altogether. This road is available to anyone, they just need to know how to find and access it.
Continue reading this article at, “Finding the road to healing after experiencing friendly fire, Part II.”
"Seeing In the Spirit Understanding the Battle" by Linda Marie Garrett
Connect…Inspire…Be Transformed!
Published by Linda Garrett-Johnson, The Word Applied, Inc.
Copyright© 2010 Linda Garrett-Johnson & The Word Applied, Inc., All rights reserved.
