Jan told an all-too-familiar story: she had grown up in church, been baptized as a child, and when she got into her 20’s, she decided to leave her childhood faith behind and go ‘the way of the world’ so that she could find herself. It wasn’t long, though, when ‘the ways of the world’ began to hurt her.
She ended up pregnant by a man she hardly knew. Because she wanted to do the right thing, she married this near-stranger, tried to make it work, and ended up divorced, without a job, trying to rai...
Jan told an all-too-familiar story: she had grown up in church, been baptized as a child, and when she got into her 20’s, she decided to leave her childhood faith behind and go ‘the way of the world’ so that she could find herself. It wasn’t long, though, when ‘the ways of the world’ began to hurt her.
She ended up pregnant by a man she hardly knew. Because she wanted to do the right thing, she married this near-stranger, tried to make it work, and ended up divorced, without a job, trying to raise her child.
She struggled like this for a time, met another man, and before long, had another child. The man left soon after. Jan’s life became a downward spiral of bad decisions – nothing she did worked! She felt like she was a total failure and that her life was over. Out of desperation, she found herself in church one morning, trying to find her way.
As the pastor spoke, her old faith began to stir within her.
Over the next few months, she recommitted her life to Christ, reunited with her parents (who were more than happy to help her!), and began rebuilding her life. She found a job, got involved in a Bible Study, and realized the error of her ways; she had rejected God’s ways, and suffered the consequences! God was gracious and loving, though, and began to work in her life. To this day, she struggles: She is still a single mother of 2 young children, holds a physically-taxing job, and carries quite a bit of emotional baggage with her. She has hope, though, based on her faith. She can live each day with the conviction that God has forgiven her, that He wants to help her each day, and that He will work in her life for as long as she follows Him. Her life is hard, to be sure, but she now says, “I am blessed. God is working in me and is helping me raise my children well.
I don’t know the future, but God is with me.”
Amazing, isn’t it? That is the way God is, though. We sin, rebel, and try our own ways. And yet, when we turn to Him in faith, He responds with grace and love.
He cleanses us from our sins, works in our lives to bring about His will, and gives us hope. No matter who you are or what you have done, God at some point whispers in our ear, “Let me help you.”
If you know someone who needs to hear this story, tell them! God can use his people to share this wonderful message of the Gospel: God loves us, no matter what! Let me encourage you to turn your life over to God and accept his grace and new life offer.
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