“My ears had heard of You before but now my eyes have seen
You.” Job 42:5
I have often been told that during suffering, is when we
experience God’s love the most. For the
longest time, I agreed but didn’t really understand this. I had faith in it but I wasn’t quit sure if
my time would come where I would truly realize this as truth. Yesterday afternoon I spent a couple of hours
with the Lord. As I was praising Him for
all that He has blessed me with, I realized that over the last few years, I
have changed and grown so much! I immediately
started to thank Him because at that very moment, I had realized that my
suffering over the last few years had given me so much faith and love in
Him. Everything about me has changed
gradually over the years and all I can do is fall to my knees in thanksgiving
and praise Him. My lifestyle is
different, my desires are different, my approach on life and situations is
different, my relationships are different,
my outlooks are different….I could go on and on with all that God has changed
in me. In my storms, I saw Him and I
clung on to Him and He restored me and changed me!
“Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your
lives. You who are trying to follow God
and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure.” James 4:8
This scripture has always hit home to me, for years that
verse ALWAYS stood out to me. For many
years I lived life on the fence. I loved
God with all of my heart but my lifestyle did not reflect that. I partied and would get drunk and would go to
Church on Sunday and would walk away from service KNOWING that I needed to
change. I knew I needed to totally give
my life over to the Lord and stop living my “Christian life” with just one foot
in the door. I knew I was not being fulfilled
this way. Every time I would try and do
this, the enemy would lurk his head into my business and play his games. Whether it was a group of friends inviting me
out to the new bar or making a new friend who had to go out with me so we could
get to know one another or meeting a new hot guy who would invite me out to the
hottest club in town; somehow, he would get me. Whatever the
situation, I would give in. Satan knew
my weaknesses and boy did he use them! So,
I would find myself back in the same pattern….partying, guilt, Church, guilt….I
allowed Satan to run so much of my life.
“The right word spoken at the right time is as beautiful as
gold apples in a silver bowl.” Proverbs
25:11
Thank God for Godly family and friends in my life. During my times of riding the fence, I would
always find myself randomly opening up a text or an email from one of my
Christian family members or friends with an encouraging word. Whether it was a scripture, quote, or prayer;
those spoken words at the right time encouraged me to get stronger daily! Over the years I have slowly changed my
lifestyle and who I am as a woman of God and I could not be happier! Am I perfect, not by a LONG shot!!! Will I stumble or make mistakes in the
future, why I am sure I will but I have Him and He guides me and changes me
from the inside out on a daily basis!!!!
“I didn’t have a good start but I’m gonna have a good finish!” Joyce Meyer
The moment we accept Christ into our lives, we accept His
amazing plan for our lives! We accept
that He has something better in store for us than what the world can give
us. We accept His grace, mercy, and
love. We accept that He has a perfect
will for our lives and all we have to do is ask and follow Him! There was a time in my life that I did not
think I was worthy of Him or His goodness let alone any blessings from
Him. Christ died on the cross for these
gifts! Take them and love them and
appreciate them! Stand in awe of His
love for YOU and see how He will change your life!!!!
