Sinner's Hope

"Jesus refused to close His ear or His eyes to the cries of a world in pain, loneliness, despair, disease, and imminent death. So, He came to us and became pain for us on a cross. Driven by love, His outstretched arms on the cross were the universal symbol of an invitation for a loving embrace. His cross says, 'I'm here. I heard your cry and I saw your pain. My love will make you complete, Believe.' His empty tomb says, 'Follow Me and live beyond the grave where pain cannot travel to and death cannot exist.' " -Don Jennings

We live in a world full of hurt, full of sin, full of Satan. Temptations are always upon us, right around the corner, staring at us in our face, or waiting for us in tomorrow's time. It's no surprise to us, or to God that temptation is all around us, all that matters is how we respond to it, what we do, how we manage those temptations. I would like to say I am perfect and innocent, and never give in or are overcome by these temptations. That I, a Christian woman, constantly pray and rely on God to help me break through the walls of temptation. But I, as any other sinner on this earth, am not perfect, and have given in, sometimes over and over, and over. Then I get slapped in the face, and God wakes me up, and guides me back to Him.

This happened just recently, I was tempted, and let the devil win. The entire time, I knew what I was doing, I knew what was right and what was wrong about it. I let it happen. I enjoyed almost every second of it, and that is exactly what Satan wanted me to do. I could sit here and point fingers at the devil all day, but all in all I am the one to blame. If I loved Jesus, and my relationships as much as I should have, then I would have prayed about it, and asked Him to help me overcome the temptation that was tripping me up. But when I sat around, and didn't listen to my conscience and didn't obey His commandments, a slap in the face is exactly what I needed, and in fact what it took to wake me up and make me quit succumbing to the temptation. I admit I am a sinner, and there is no way this girl is making it to heaven without God's infinite grace, praise be to Him for that.

People walk in and out of our lives everyday. Strangers become friends, and friends become strangers. Sometimes one relationship change is easier than another, regardless, one must pray, and know that God has a will for whatever happens in our lives. Even though we walk through life with free will and choice to everything we say do and believe, He still is in control, and He always knows what is going on and what will come to be. Every relationship will come to pass, everyone dies, death is the outcome for every living being, but if you choose Him, and a relationship with Him, that is the one relationship that is everlasting, will last into eternity, thus should be the one on which you spend most of your time improving. I have to remind myself all the time of this. Especially here recently, but what has helped is just letting Jesus hear my whole heart, spilling all my guts and broken pieces out into His arms, His ears. Letting Him know that I know that He is there and He is listening, letting Him hear my confession and repentance. Asking Him for comfort and a new direction, and seeking it in His Word. 

My heart aches for the pain I have caused some people that I absolutely love dearly, pain I cannot take back, pain that I cannot heal at this time, pain that I have to rely on God's hands to heal, and rely on His comfort to know is being healed. Pain that I am sure is way beyond the pains I constantly feel for my sorry self. I betrayed, decieved, and practically tore apart a relationship I never wanted to do that to. Thus, I sit back and pay the consequences, and pray. Pray to a sovereign Lord who heals all pain, I don't even care at this point if He tends to my pain, though I know He already is, but I pray He is healing the wounds in them that I have created. 

And as always, I don't forget about my prayer warriors. Those people that I rely on with my prayer requests and needs, those people that fervently pray for me, I let them know of my struggles, and accept their hand in God's help. When you are hurting, He is there. When you are happy, He is there. I am thankful for His help through the tough times and give Him my appreciation in the ups, He more than deserves it.

'Trust in God's timing. It's better to wait awhile and have things fall into place, than to rush and have things fall apart.' -Adam Cappa

2 Cor. 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be bad or good."