But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness
will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free,
leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.
Malachi 4:2 NLT
As the days of my incarceration continue, my vision and hope for the future has not changed...
will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free,
leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.
Malachi 4:2 NLT
As the days of my incarceration continue, my vision and hope for the future has not changed...
My desire to serve God and his people has not diminished. The cry of my heart is like that of the prophet Isaiah, "Lord, here I am. Send Me" (Isaiah 9:6).
Yet, there are still times when I will find myself becoming discouraged. The stresses and daily pressures of living in an environment where there is much negativity can have an effect. After all, although I am a man who loves the Lord, I am also human.
And there are also times when the ugliness of the past tries to creep back into my mind. It will bring with it the demons of shame, guilt, and regret. Which, by the way, is to be expected. Many Christians commonly refer to this as the "Battle of the Mind." It's a conflict every disciple must face and master.
The reality is, the devil does not give up easily. He will wait for the times when the Christian is physically and mentally weary. Perhaps his tiredness is due to illness, or family problems, stresses in the work place, or maybe a combination of many things all happening at the same time.
Life has its ups and downs for everyone, and I'm no exception. Even the Bible attests to this. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
So I know that, while some days are easier or harder than others, God gives me the strength to endure them all. With each test, my faith becomes stronger. I can do all things through Christ, including being victorious over my occasional feelings of discouragement and weariness.
The Lord has long since healed my mind. He has filled my life with hope. He has caused my heart to leap with joy, and the best is yet to come. Whether by death or the Rapture, I am going home. It's only a matter of time when I'll be caught up into the clouds. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
D.B.
Yet, there are still times when I will find myself becoming discouraged. The stresses and daily pressures of living in an environment where there is much negativity can have an effect. After all, although I am a man who loves the Lord, I am also human.
And there are also times when the ugliness of the past tries to creep back into my mind. It will bring with it the demons of shame, guilt, and regret. Which, by the way, is to be expected. Many Christians commonly refer to this as the "Battle of the Mind." It's a conflict every disciple must face and master.
The reality is, the devil does not give up easily. He will wait for the times when the Christian is physically and mentally weary. Perhaps his tiredness is due to illness, or family problems, stresses in the work place, or maybe a combination of many things all happening at the same time.
Life has its ups and downs for everyone, and I'm no exception. Even the Bible attests to this. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
So I know that, while some days are easier or harder than others, God gives me the strength to endure them all. With each test, my faith becomes stronger. I can do all things through Christ, including being victorious over my occasional feelings of discouragement and weariness.
The Lord has long since healed my mind. He has filled my life with hope. He has caused my heart to leap with joy, and the best is yet to come. Whether by death or the Rapture, I am going home. It's only a matter of time when I'll be caught up into the clouds. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
D.B.
