Drinking from the Well of God's Word
Maybe You...
by pamela spurling
Do you know that the LORD loves you? I mean do you really know it?
I remember a time when I was so unsure of His love, when I wondered
how He could love me and forgive me for all my past sins and even for
my current behavior. I wondered how He could care for me and provide
for me. I didn't know Him and sadly, I didn't take the time or put
forth the effort to know him. It saddens me now to think of how I
have so often disregarded Him, how I have neglected to know him and
His ways and trust in His design.
Maybe you feel this way, too. Maybe you have been feeling like a
worthless woman, guilty for the things you do, guilty for the things
you don't, ashamed for things you've done in your past and ashamed of
things you think today.
Maybe you are lonely in your heart though you put on a pretty good
performance for those around you. Maybe you have been deceitful so
long, you don't know how to be authentic today. Maybe you have set a
pattern of deceit and would be too ashamed to confess it to another.
Maybe you have so many hurts and pains that you feel you cannot
forgive and move on from where you are. Maybe you are so bitter at
those who have wronged you that you are no longer feeling capable of
forgiving your offenders.
Maybe you have allowed yourself to get into patterns of living,
thinking or behaving that are contrary to what God tells you is right.
Maybe you feel trapped by your habits and conduct. Maybe you feel
like you will never be any different than you are today because you
are no different than you were a year ago or five years ago.
Maybe you are so disappointed with the way things have gone for you...
things ending up in ways you never anticipated and your disappointment
is crushing you. Maybe you are resentful and maybe even angry that
you live where you do, have what you have, know what you know, do what
you do...
Maybe you feel embarrassed over why you over eat and are overweight or
ashamed of why you are underweight and what you are doing to remain
so. Maybe the trappings of physical beauty are consuming you today.
Maybe you resent your husband for the things you have, the home you
have, the furnishings you do or do not have, and maybe you feel he
doesn't even care for you or your needs or desires. Maybe you feel
that he doesn't even want to know what they are.
Maybe you are gripped with fears... fear of the unknown, fear of pain
and eventual death, fear of loss of a child or a friend, fear of loss
of income or employment, fear of failure, fear of a home fire or loss
of your belongings.
Maybe you are dealing with an addiction that you are too ashamed to
share with another and so you carry it alone... maybe you feel so
trapped by the addiction and the consequences of it that you really
wish you could just lie down and die. Maybe you are seized with fear
of being caught or found out and the shame of that consumes you day by
day.
Maybe you have a daughter or a son who has disappointed you beyond
grief and you fear they will never turn around, never cease from their
foolishness, never live obedient to Jesus, never enter the gates of
heaven but spend eternity separated from the Living God. Maybe you
lose sleep worrying over their whereabouts and fear and anguish are squeezing the life out of you.
Maybe your husband no longer tenderly cares for you, no longer desires
to hold you, no longer sweetly kisses you goodnight or good morning.
Maybe he doesn't even seem to notice you still occupy the same bed.
Maybe you have lived in fear of intimacy for so long that you feel you
could never be free to love in that way again. Maybe you don't feel
you can securely give yourself to your husband. Maybe you experience
terrors in your thoughts over past abuse and you are unable to share
this or get rid of these thoughts.
Maybe you fear rejection. Maybe you fear it so much that you never
want to see anyone or go anywhere or let anyone into your life for
fear that they will see you as you really are and find you inadequate
or imperfect. Maybe they will tell your story... furthering your
shame.
Maybe you struggle with inferiority at work or at school or at
church... thinking that others are talking about you, laughing about
you or only appear to care for you because they have to or are
obligated by association.
Maybe you are confused, lonely, or low and don't really understand
what's wrong... what you're feeling or why.
All these things and more are why the Lord Jesus came to die on the
cross and why He lives today. All these things are why He loves you
and why He cannot allow you to remain as you are. All these things are
what He carried to the cross and are all the things that His own shed
blood can cover. All these things are what filled Him with compassion
for you and are what He longs to free you from today. All these
things are why He loves you and wants you to give to Him today.
Jeremiah 31:3 says: "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying,
Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
You see, it is His lovingkindness that has drawn you to Himself... and
it is His lovingkindness that will cover you. It is His
lovingkindness that will free you... and it is His lovingkindness that
will keep you.
Would you go to Him and allow Him to cover you today? There is
hope...there is healing... there is joy.
Would you but believe? John 4 and 8.
pamela spurling, the welcome home 2000
