He Will Make Us 'New Again' PART 2

Okay, it’s time to take a look back and watch Jesus take a little girl’s hand and show her the plans He knows and declares that He has for her, plans to proper her and not to harm her, plans to give her hope and a future.  Jeremiah 29:11

Many events had shaped my life.  When I was six my granddad was murdered and I saw my Dad literally crumble before my eyes – at least for a while.  I was sexually assaulted on a date when I was about 15 years old and never told anyone.  When our children were young, my Mom committed suicide.  Romans 8:28 has taken on a whole new meaning in my life.  All things work together for the good of those who love God, those who are the called according to His purpose.  One thing I’ve learned from this truth is that the “for good” in that verse doesn’t mean exactly what we interpret it to be or would like for it to mean.  The “for good” actually means ‘to make us like Jesus’.   The very next verse, Romans 8:29 in the Amplified bible says, “For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness].  So my personal memorization of that scripture is, “All things work together to make us like Jesus; to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”    

My parents’ marriage was not an exemplary one and although we went to church some, it was not a foundation upon which we were raised.  As a married couple, my husband and I went to church more often than not, but definitely did not serve God in any fashion that honored Him.  We had not been discipled or mentored and did not know anything about surrendering to God and making Him Lord of our lives.  Another missing truth was realizing we needed a personal relationship with our Creator.  “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”  John 8:32

My life was lived with a constant attitude of pride and self-righteousness.  “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.”  Proverbs 16:18  I had contempt toward my husband.  Do you know what a wicked word that is – contempt is disdain, disrespect, disapproval, condescension, to look down on and turn your nose up at – in other words, I thought I was better than him and exalted myself above my husband.  Our children were ‘my life’ and when our nest became empty, we didn’t have enough of a life to hold on to.  Guilt had become a weight that I could no longer bear.  I knew I was not the wife that God intended me to be and didn’t know how to escape the feelings of guilt other than to leave and get out from under the yoke and the heavy burden.  Little did I know that God’s Word says, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

to be continued...