A New Life Through Christ “The Best Gift I’ve ever received for Christmas”
Writer Author Joshua Mumphrey
Christian Article
:
Inspirational
- Fiction No
Throughout my life, I’ve learned many things, but the most important lesson was the one I learned from the best teacher of all, God. I heard somewhere once, that the hardest lessons are left for the best students, but I had wished then, that I hadn’t tried so hard to over achieve, that I hadn’t given my all, my everything to God, all for the sake of being taught a lesson I really wasn’t interested in learning.
It was a few days after Christmas and I was alone. I didn’t feel I had anyone there for me when I needed someone, anyone to ease the pain that pierced my bleeding heart.
I sat in my apartment, listening to the winter wind whistle through the air as I shivered at the thought, because I felt just as cold inside, as it was out in the snow.
The life I thought I had, melted away like a snowball on a sunny afternoon, I didn’t have any children and my husband had left me with nothing more than a memory.
I drifted off in my own thoughts remembering the day he walked out of that door, with a duffle bag in his right hand and a black leather jacket in his left. What I had to give him wasn’t enough to make him stay, but it wasn’t that I didn’t give enough; I gave him all that I had.
I was in a very dark place that day and about a million miles away from home in a place where no one knew me. I tried to be strong, but I couldn’t, it was just too hard. I broke as the tears began to stream and my heart began to pain even more.
I was angry, bitter and lost in the world without my husband, it pained me that he found forgetfulness in another woman’s arms. How could he do it, how did he forget all the wonderful and beautiful memories we made and shared with one another? Did he not love me, were the words he spoke and the promise he made to me nothing more than a lie? I didn’t know, there was no way I could.
I had, since James left me, strayed from God, I didn’t want to serve and honor someone who let my life shatter into a million little pieces. My marriage was the foundation of the new life I had built and without it, how could anything else stand?
The gifts still lay unopened under the tree as Christmas music played in the background, but I didn’t feel very merry. I didn’t want to touch anything because as hurt and upset as I was at James for leaving, I wanted him to stay, I wanted him to come back through the door he left, I wanted us to pick up where we left off having the Christmas we should have had, together, not apart.
I jolted from the couch with frustration in search of my journal, I had a lot on my mind and I needed to put my pen to paper. Writing was something that helped calm the storm inside and I knew that day more than any, that the storm was raging out of control.
I quickly grabbed a pen off of the coffee table to my left and headed over to my bookshelf. I ran my hands and eyes across the books that sat in it until I spotted the metal coils of my notebook.
When I reached out for it and pulled it free, something happened I didn’t expect. Another book inched free with it, crashing to the floor with a thud. My eyes examined the book as it lay open begging to be read. I sat my notebook on one of the lower shelves and kneeled down to pick up my bible.
As I brought the bible closer, I saw a scripture found in Corinthians 7:9-10, I didn’t remember highlighting before. I read over it swiftly and sat slowly to the floor lost in it’s revelation.
"As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."
****
It was then that I realized the error of my ways and a solution to my problems. God never meant to hurt me through the trials that I faced, he intended through them to teach me something I didn’t know, something I then learned.
I knew, I had forgotten God, long before James left, if I was completely honest with myself. I knew deep down that the wages and penalties for my sins were death, but God didn’t want that for me, I don’t believe he wants that for anyone. He wanted me to see his forgiving light and saving grace, before it was too late, and if that meant a few hardships and struggles along the way, it was necessary; it was a necessity I couldn’t live my life in Christ without.
I humbled myself to the Lord and bowed my head, on my knees. I locked my hands together to pray, before I spoke from the depth of my aching heart and troubled soul.
“Dear God, “ I pleaded with everything I had, “Forgive me for all the things I’ve done wrong and knew to do right. Help me to heal the hurt and restore what was lost, to mend that which is broken within my heart. Give me peace among all the missing and shattered pieces. Renew my life and my purpose for your glory, so that I may give your name praise and so that I may give you all the thanks for all of my days. In you and your son’s name I pray. Amen.”
As I opened my eyes, a familiar warmth poured over me like water. I felt God’s spirit around me again, his unfathomable grace and unconditional love; I was set free, and the shackles of my former sins no longer bound my feet. I could walk again into the light and out of the darkness that surrounded me, I could walk into my new life, through Christ, the best gift I’ve ever received for Christmas.
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About the Writer Author
State:
Texas
Country:
United States
Email:
joshuamumphrey@aol.com
Website:
Profile:
Click here!
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