VERBATIMS

It is unfortunate but true that God seldom becomes a reality for us until he becomes a necessity. Yet, it is that Gift of Desperation that brings us to a place where we have a willingness to seek, and He comes to all who honestly seek Him.

If you find yourself alone and afflicted as I did, you do not have to choose to die this way. Your pain may become your greatest motivator; humbly accept the fact that you can no longer bear your journey alone; invite the Creator into your life, and seek refuge in His arms.

I am thankful for my scars because God has supernaturally transformed those very scars into gifts and experience. I seek Him for healing and the transformation of my greatest defects into my greatest assets. My scars are testimony that I am battle-tested and healed by His love and the stripes He endured before His ultimate sacrifice at the cross. 

Coming to know God as He has chosen to reveal Himself has allowed me to develop a faith that, together with salvation, I count as my greatest gift.

I have come to know that in this life, and in any situation, from the greatest triumph to the worst tragedy, “This, too, shall pass.” No pain lasts forever; pain is as temporal as our finite bodies. The spirit is what will remain, and that is the part of us wherein God dwells.

Just as a grain of sand is the master of the pyramid and the snowflake the master of the storm, I must look within myself for change.

Some men like me fight to survive and prosper in a fallen world through self-will, self-sufficiency, and self-righteousness. We learn to “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps” and seldom ask for directions. We begin to feel unique and isolated as a result of this separation from God. Our pride acts as a shovel that begins to dig our own graves, where we become sadly resigned to what we believe is our final destination.

I start to see the man in the mirror through my Father’s eyes. This perspective is often mistaken as being reserved only for the spiritually enlightened. One who finds such perspective is often called a seer or a prophet. However, it is readily available for you and for me just as it was available for simple fishermen. All we must do is cast aside the internal critic and the lie that spiritual insight is reserved for “others.”

Today, I continue to “suit up, show up, and get out of His way,” for life begins once Jesus becomes the reason to live it. 

When I became physically and emotionally sober, the painting of my life, this thing that has always been a work in progress, immediately began to become bright and beautiful. And then, when I finally found the humility and willingness to hand the paintbrush to Him, the painting of my life looked more like a masterpiece designed for His good purposes.

Divine trust results in accomplishments that I could never have achieved alone, and in results that defy logic and that are not readily foreseen. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When the author is not engaged in ministry  (bible study, prayer gatherings, recovery meetings, visiting local churches, or guest-speaking from the pulpit or classroom), he can be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen, walking 18 holes on the nearest golf course, or playing a mean game of cards, all while spending time with close friends and family. He remains ever grateful for the selfless men and women who helped him along the journey to recovery and salvation.​

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