It's For My Good

To sit in darkness in the shadow of death is to be at a place where you are just waiting for everything within you to die. It is the place where you are all empty inside and you become almost numb to your surroundings and what is happening around you. Hope is lost and escape by death sometimes seems to be the only way out. When we are bound by affliction, we have lost control of ourselves and are left to suffer at the mercy of those who are watching us. In times like these, the shedding of tears will bring no peace or contentment. Only the presence of God can satisfy the emptiness that we feel inside and release us from the grip of death. If you cannot see the pain of an individual, you may not be able to identify with his pain. Whenever you find yourself free from any type of bondage, you find yourself at a place where you are unconcerned with the approval of others. Being delivered from darkness and being made to enjoy the light of hope and peace will result not only in praise, but in celebratory praise. It is nothing short of a miracle that some of us, after all we have been through are still here, still standing, still committed to God, still in ministry, still determined and still have the desire to move to our next level. Many of us should have been spiritually, emotionally or physically killed in the days of our storms, darkness and loneliness. The devil thought that he had finished the job when he tossed us into that final storm, but we made it through and we are still here. We made it through the storm, we made it through the lonely dark days and we now have a story to tell, we have a testimony to give and we have a God to glorify for the victory we have experienced. Many tears have been shed and many thoughts of escape or disappearance entertained. But somehow we are still alive and we are still here in our right minds. When I think of the many times I have entertained thoughts of running away, thinking that if I could get away from my surroundings and the environment I would find peace. I just could not find a way of escape. It seemed as if I was hedged in by my circumstances and I had no choice but to live through them. But after all that I have been through in my life, I am still here. I am glad that I am here, but even happier that I made it through alive and in my right mind. I still have a few scars, but the blessings that I have received and the experiences that I have gained are worth the painful sacrifices that I had to make. There are many people that could share a testimony, similar to the one that I have. There are many survival stories that have not yet graced the pages of a manuscript or a book, but are still locked away in the minds and the hearts of Christian survivors. These are from people who have been battered by the winds of many storms of life and were left alone to die in the process. But someway, somehow they made it through because God kept them alive. They are still here and they have an untold story. They have been through many battles and have the scars to prove it. They were attacked, but did not suffer defeat. They were rejected, but found love in the process. They were ostracized, but found peace. They are still here, we are still here and I am still here.