HEARTS CAN CHANGE: RISKING ALL
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Today's Scripture
"If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." (James 1:5 NLT)
Thoughts for Today
Paula felt ashamed after her husband coerced her into an abortion with threats of violence. Afterward, she felt there was nowhere to turn. Her abusive marriage grew even more so as her husband threatened to tell all their family and friends about the abortion unless she did as he said.
"People assume it's your fault if you're poor and if your husband is violent," she explains. "I knew abortion was wrong, but I pictured myself trying to feed our already hungry kids with no heat, no warm clothes. When he threatened me, it all became simply overwhelming. After the abortion, [when] he threatened to expose me, I never felt so trapped."
Paula lost all faith—in herself and in God. The more abusive her husband became, the less she was worth in her own eyes. Paula could have become just another statistic, but her parents never stopped demonstrating their love for her and sharing God's love for her. When Paula began to believe in that love, she shared the secret of what was happening in her home. Her parents grieved with her and looked for ways to help her. Her family's caring support enabled Paula to see herself as worthy of love and respect, increasing her faith and trust in God to heal her of the hurts of abortion and abuse.
Consider this …
Faith got Paula through those dark days and helped her reach out for help and healing.
If you have been devalued through abuse or other suffering, you may be finding it difficult to reach out to get the help you need. But if you never risk reaching out to people and sharing the truth, you may never feel the full measure of God's grace to change your life.
Jesus loves you and wants to help you. Are you ready to reach out for help? To trust him to forgive you and heal you? To trust him to bring people into your life who can help? Consider taking that first step today.
Prayer
Father, thank you for loving me. I have been feeling so unlovable but I'm beginning to understand that you love me unconditionally. Show me how to reach out for help and give me the courage to take that first step. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from …Cradle My Heart: Finding God's LOVE After Abortion by Kim Ketola. In this book, Kim seeks to help those hurt by abortion to grieve with hope. Sharing her story and the stories of ten other women, she reveals that God's love is not a casualty of the abortive process. With an appendix of helpful resources and a study and discussion guide included, Cradle My Heart is a timely and important resource for the hurting woman, the counselor, and the church.
With an understanding and empathetic voice, Kim Ketola exposes the hurt in your heart, reveals the healing in God's heart, and brings the two together to create a whole heart where restoration and celebration are possible.
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©Living Free 2018. Living Free is a registered trademark. Living Free Every Day® devotionals may be reproduced for personal use. When reproduced to share with others, please acknowledge the source as Living Free, Chattanooga, TN, www.LivingFree.org. Must have written permission to use in any format to be sold. Permission may be requested by sending an e-mail to info@LivingFree.org