Help is Here

 

Some years ago, after I filed for divorce from a physically and mentally abusive husband, I felt very alone and isolated. I was facing life as a single parent, and I didn’t know which way to turn. I couldn't believe that I was in that situation, and I became depressed. I never dreamed that the person I loved so dearly, the person that at one time made me feel so loved and secure, would cause me so much pain. I blamed my ex-husband for my misery, but I also blamed God. For a while, I was very angry with the Lord, because I couldn't understand what I had done so wrong to deserve such a terrible end to my marriage.

Financial dependency is a very common factor for many individuals that remain in abusive relationships. It had been one of the reasons that I continued to stay in my marriage. My ex was always very attentive and kind to our child, but I finally decided to leave when it was clear to me that it was, for me, a matter of life or death. At times after the divorce, I felt as though my survival was still unsure, because I didn't think that I could call on anyone for help. I felt trapped, and I was still very angry, but I decided I would have a heart to heart talk with God, and I set aside some time to do just that.

Philippians 4:13(NLT) was a verse that was introduced to me when I was a child, and it kept coming back to my mind during that time in my life. This verse declares, "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." One day I cried out to God, "Where's the strength You promised me? I can't take this. Why aren't You helping me?!!!" Later, I was both terrified and thankful to our Heavenly Father. Despite my disrespect, He allowed my ignorance and anger, and He patiently taught me to understand that I was strong through Him even though I felt weak. The more I learned about God, the stronger I became.

I had to admit to myself that I couldn’t hold things together on my own. The fear of making a mistake kept me on edge and to some degree, it also kept me seeking God. I was completely helpless, and the grace and blessings He extended were miraculous. After my divorce,  I was at a point where I was either going to give up or trust our Heavenly Father. I decided to trust Him and to humble myself under His power and goodness. He helped me through my hopelessness, and He will do the same for anyone and everyone who will humble themselves and seek His help.

Sometimes, life leaves us in a position where it seems we have nowhere to turn. We can’t foresee the future. We don’t know what will happen in our lives from one moment to the next. Our immediate response when facing this is fear, but in 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 (NLT), our Heavenly Father gives us a better strategy of what to do. This passage states,  "1 After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar." (This was another name for En-gedi.) 3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD's help."

Seeking God’s help with our whole hearts is the only way to go. God knows everything there is to know about every individual that is living and has ever lived. He doesn't rush us to trust Him. He waits for us to allow Him to shower His unfailing love and strength on our lives. We must understand that He is always willing and able to help us, and our response to Him has to be one of true humility and reverence. We have to honor the truth that we need God every moment of every day. We can't do anything without His help, and when we have faith in Him, He will fight our battles. Victory and glory belong to God. We will help ourselves tremendously if we put aside our anger and blame, and trust that God loves us and is helping us right this very moment to overcome because our faith is in Him.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

"Help is Here”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2023. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

 

Don't Let the Enemy Steal Another Opportunity

Luke 4:5-8(NKJV)
“5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for [this] has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 "Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.' "

Fast and furious. That’s how many of us would describe the number of issues that are coming at us these days. It’s not just the simple stuff. Most of us can handle that. It’s issues that bring up things like insecurity, anxiety, and fear. They cause us to experience emotions that make us unsettled and doubtful about our happiness in the future. Perhaps thoughts of your past mistakes, childhood memories, or the heaviness of your current relationship continue to weigh you down. When these things are heavy on our hearts, our emotions begin to mirror the obstacles and problems we face. Going about our daily lives as if all is well becomes increasingly challenging to do. We might be wondering if things will get better. Our precious Lord and Savior promises that they will. 

When we were much younger, we had such high hopes and dreams. That is what young minds do. We think we’re invincible, and that life will cooperate with all our plans. As we mature physically and mentally, life teaches us that everything doesn’t turn out the way we expect. The Apostle Paul said in 1Corinthians 13:11(NLT),  “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” As we mature, God intends that we will change, and do so in a way that our minds become sharper and our decisions and choices become wiser. To keep pace with everything around us, we are required to understand life on a whole other level. 

It doesn’t always happen that way. Sometimes we mature physically and mentally, but emotionally, we don’t keep pace; there’s still some growing to do. Our expectations don’t always make the leap from fantasy to faith, and this can lead to disappointment and heartache as we mature. This is especially the case when we don’t adjust our expectations for relationships and expect our partners to know exactly how to love us. On some level, we expect that things will be better than the dreams we’ve always had, and sometimes they are, but a lot of the times, they pull on us in ways we didn’t expect. We underestimate how much emotional maturity and spiritual strength and wisdom relationships require.  

Our partners are a mirror for us. They show us both the best and the not-so-pretty about ourselves. This is a truth most of us miss as we mature into adulthood. Through all the romantic movies, novels, and fairytales we consume, fantasy gets seeped into our brain cells, and this can impact our expectations regarding relationships. In fantasies, there are dastardly villains who attempt to sabotage a couple’s dreams, but there is always a happily ever after. In real life, our spiritual enemy is far more dastardly and evil than any villain, and he has no mercy. 

Faith is what we learn from God’s Word, and faith requires us to leave fantasy out of reality’s equation. Our faith in God requires us to feed our minds and hearts the truth, so that we can stand strong under enemy attack. Our Heavenly Father warns us in 1Peter 5:8(NLT), “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” Unity in any way, shape, form, or fashion is a target of darkness, and God hasn’t kept this a secret. He’s commanded us to stay alert and watch out. When it comes to maintaining and preserving any blessing in life, relationships or otherwise, we need to be hyper vigilant in prayer and the wisdom of God’s Word. 

Don’t let the enemy steal another opportunity by taking advantage of your lack of faith. Fantasies are not true. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to extract them from our expectations about relationships and every other thing, because our most precious treasures can be stolen if we’re not on guard. Our fear and doubt give the enemy an opening to disturb our lives, and if we don’t act wisely and swiftly, a small issue can magnify into something that spoils our blessings and causes them to fall apart. Faith is the answer! Our faith in the Lord must be strengthened. Often this is what our unsettling emotions are about; they point us in the direction of seeking God on a greater level. 

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it is impossible to please our Heavenly Father without faith. It also tells us that God is a Rewarder, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. He doesn’t cause the troubling situations that plague our lives, but what the enemy meant for our destruction, our Heavenly Father can turn it around and use it for our good. God is sovereign, and He is always willing and able to help, restore, and plant our feet on higher ground. 1 Peter 5:6-7(NLT) tells us, “6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” So, let’s not give in to disappointment or anxiety. Instead, let’s pray continually to our Heavenly Father in faith and stay strong. He promises that when we do, we will resist the enemy and position ourselves under the Lord’s protection, power, and grace.■  

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

"Don't Let the Enemy Steal Another Opportunity”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2023. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

The Lord Will Hold Me Close

 

Psalm 27:10(NLT)
“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.”

A friend’s daughter, Lexi, has been estranged from her father for years and bumping into him recently was troubling for her. She’s in her twenties now, and since he’s been out of her life, she’s felt a sense of peace and security. He became abusive after she turned sixteen and seeing him unexpectantly opened old wounds that she had tried to put behind her.

Lexi’s father had been very loving and supportive when she was much younger, and she never understood what caused him to change. She felt abandoned when he continued to belittle her, and because of this, sometimes she also felt abandoned by God as well. We don’t always understand why we endure so much pain, especially when we are at our most vulnerable, but God doesn’t cause the circumstances of our pain. Trusting this truth creates a space in our hearts for the love of God to come in. Lexi stopped being angry long enough to seek God’s help and to trust that He would give it.

Nervous, sad, and insecure, initially she was afraid that nothing she tried would work out, but God tells us in 2Corinthians 12:9(NLT), “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Lexi decided to have faith that God would help her to establish a life on her own. For years she had walked on eggshells, and she never wanted to experience that fear again. As she grew in faith, her self-esteem improved and so did her life. She drew closer to our Heavenly Father, and she continued to pray for healing and for the strength to forgive her biological father. After seven years, she thought she had forgiven him, but when she saw him after all that time, she was confused, and her confidence was shaken.

The reality is that we don’t always know what is going to meet us around the corner. Life is very unpredictable that way. When we’ve gotten to a place of finally feeling secure, and then something happens to seemingly set us back, we might feel tempted to turn away from our faith in God. We don’t understand why things happen the way they do, and this makes us question whether we can ever really feel safe. God promises that we can.

1Peter 5:6-7(NLT) tells us, “6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” We are truly humble when we hold on to our faith in God during those times that are the most challenging for us. He desires us to surrender to Him by giving all our worries and cares to Him, because He cares about every detail of our lives. God has all power in His hands, and there isn’t anything He can’t solve, even when the issue is as complex as old wounds and a heart that’s been broken into pieces.  

God will ‘father us’ through our darkest times. As Psalm 27:10 tells us, when our parents are not prepared to nurture and smother us with love, God will hold us close. When we face situations that open old wounds, He is faithful to bring us through, and we must trust His plan for our lives even when dark clouds loom. Romans 5:8(NLT) declares, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Our Heavenly Father is loving and kind towards us. He doesn’t hold our mistakes against us. Instead, when we come to Him in faith, He helps us to become strong through Jesus Christ! We can have every confidence that our God loves us way more than we could ever love ourselves. He will hold us close and hold us up as we move beyond our pasts and refuse to be held back by them. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

"The Lord Will Hold Me Close”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2023. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

You May Be on the Wrong Road

 

Proverbs 22:4 (NLT)
“True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”

Many of us are walking around with wounded hearts and troubled minds. The world is changing, and these are challenging times. On top of this, some of us have issues in our relationships and finances that are causing us stress. We may be dealing with trouble on the job and at home, and this can rob us of the peace that God wants us to have. Searching for someone or something to help us escape feelings of despair, we sometimes turn to the wrong source for comfort. We go down the wrong road, and it can send us spiraling to further depths of confusion and disappointment. Romans 5:1 tells us that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. This is the rescue we desperately need, and we will do ourselves the greatest favor if we learn to tap into God’s tremendous peace and power. 

A changed mind
Romans 12:2(NKJV) says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” This verse is packed with truth, the kind that will help us take our lives to new levels of peace and abundance. It first tells us that God doesn’t want our minds to be conformed by the world or to be shaped by what society believes and teaches. Society has views and opinions that are often against God’s Word, and they tell us to do, think, feel, and say things that are opposite of what God says. This can add to our problems instead of helping us to solve them.

When our minds are conformed to something, it means that we will follow it, and this can lead us down that wrong road we’ve pointed to above. God wants us to be blessed. He wants us to love others with the love of Christ and to be full of his joy, peace, authority, and power. Our minds are a huge part of living this reality. God commands us to renew our minds, which means to change the way we think. This is necessary because sometimes we think and believe in a way that sabotages our happiness. We can be stubborn about changing our thoughts and attitudes, and we resist it because sameness is comfortable, but we must understand that not renewing our minds as God tells us can cause us to miss some of the wonderful blessings that He wants us to have.   

Proverbs 23:7(NKJV) says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Thoughts we think in our hearts are thoughts that have become pretty dug in. It means we’ve believed something to the point that it’s at the core of who we are. We get stuck in patterns of thinking and behaving, and we don’t confront those patterns or analyze them to see if they’re working for us. Our responsibility is to observe ourselves a little more closely and break the patterns that injure our relationship with God and hinder our faith.  

Don’t worry
God tells us in Philippians 4:6(NLT), “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” All worry stems from a lack of faith, and this is one of the reasons that God tells us not to let our minds and hearts become bogged down by worry and anxiety. We’re to pray through situations with faith and right believing. Sure, our thoughts and feelings may tell us that things are falling apart, and that we need to be fearful, but we can’t succumb to wrong believing and let it win. God has empowered us through Christ to be more than conquerors in every situation. He wants the authority and truth of His Word to override our thoughts and feelings. He wants us to trust that He is greater than our problems, and He is willing and able to help us.

Proverbs 3:5 tells us that we shouldn’t lean on our own understanding, but instead, we must trust in the Lord with all our hearts. You and I don’t see the big picture. God does, and we must trust Him to handle things. Psalm 28:7 declares that the Lord is our strength and shield, and Romans 8:31-32(NLT) says, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?” We must confess and believe that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He has said He will do. He always keeps His promises. He’s our incomparable fortress, and our peace in times of trouble. If we’re not thinking and confessing these truths daily, then we might be on the wrong road. The Good News is that God has made a way for us through Christ to get on the right one when we change our thoughts, honor Him in our hearts, and claim God’s power and love over every aspect of our lives.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

"You May Be on the Wrong Road”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2023. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.