I Take off the MASK!

Grief and Healing - Download the eBook

“Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.” – Les Miserables, Victor Hugo

God’s abounding grace pursues us in our paths, seeks us in our darkness, finds us and embraces us, and will never let us go. It is His grace alone that enabled us to even know we were lost. Without His grace, we could never be found.

For who were even worthy to know Him? Who could ever begin seeking Him without God’s grace first reaching His soul?

In our blindness, all we could ever do is grope in the dark. Try as we might, we could never find our way.

God’s grace alone can reach us where we are. He goes to us for we could never go to Him. He gives us every good we do not deserve, and in His great love, we are changed, we are healed, we are found.

The LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him, and strip kings of their armour; to open the doors before him, and the gates shall not be shut:
“I will go before you,
and make the rough places smooth.
I will break the doors of bronze in pieces,
and cut apart the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness,
and hidden riches of secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the LORD, who call you by your name,
even the God of Israel.
For Jacob my servant’s sake,
and Israel my chosen,
I have called you by your name.
I have given you a title,
though you have not known me.
-Isaiah 45, WEBBE

Pilate therefore said to him, “Aren’t you speaking to me? Don’t you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. – John 19, WEB

There are times when we may feel overwhelmed by the things happening around us. We feel helpless as things become out of our control. We do our very best, but things still don’t seem to work out the way they should.

Times like that, don’t be disheartened. For though we may not see now why such things happen or why God has allowed it so, God knows what He is doing and He is still in control of everything.

Power does not rest upon man. It comes from God! Therefore God gives and God takes away. If He ever allows certain things to happen, it is only to bring about a greater good.

One day we shall see. But today, we must trust. We trust though we cannot see. All we can be certain of is that God reigns. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and He is a Just and Merciful God.

“Some of us believe that God is almighty, and can do everything; and that he is all wise, and may do everything; but that he is all love, and will do everything— there we draw back.” – Julian of Norwich

“And I saw that truly nothing happens by accident or luck, but everything by God’s wise providence. If it seems to be accident or luck from our point of view, our blindness and lack of foreknowledge is the cause; for matters that have been in God’s foreseeing wisdom since before time began befall us suddenly, all unawares; and so in our blindness and ignorance we say that this is accident or luck, but to our Lord God it is not so.”– Julian of Norwich

Just when you think all is lost, God will have His way. Just when you think evil has triumphed, goodness shall prevail.

No matter how greatly outnumbered you think you are, no matter how strong the enemies seem to be, do not lose hope. There is an unforeseen Hand making its way through the darkness, ready to take the enemies by surprise!

And what a surprise it will be. For in boasting and confidence, evil thinks itself indestructible. In deceit it has worked and deceived many. And in its vast strength, it thought it could overpower Him who rules the heavens.

But just when its triumph seems near, just when it thinks it could never be defeated, Divine Intervention overcomes all foes with a mighty victory, God’s Hand acts and it shall not act in vain.

And after the thousand years, Satan will be released from his prison, and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. They went up over the width of the earth, and surrounded the camp of the saints, and the beloved city. Fire came down out of heaven from God and devoured them. – Revelation 20, WEB

Most certainly I tell you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy…. Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. – John 16, WEB

We must always hold on to God’s joy. Even in dark times. Even in the most painful of moments. Therein only is our peace and our strength.

In this world, we cannot always see that good triumphs over evil. Many times, we see just the opposite, and we weep for all the injustice and suffering we see.

But let us not lose our hope. Let us await God’s promise of help and trust in His great mercy. For what He has promised He will keep, and whomever is His, He will never lose.

We suffer but for a moment, we endure but for a night. What awaits us is a new day that will never end. A day of joy and triumph for all that is beautiful and pure and good!

Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. – Mother Teresa

But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. – John 19:25, WEB

There are days when it’s easy to stick to one another. Days full of gladness and joy, full of dreams and hopes for the future. On the other hand, there are trying days. Days too difficult to hide our own tears. Days we hardly know if we could still make it through.

During such days, are we still willing to stay together? Are we still able to hold firm to our beliefs?

True friends walk with each other not only in good times, but especially through the bad. It is the storms of life that bind us stronger, it is the night that brings us closer to each other’s arms.

How far are you willing to go with the one you love? If your love is true, you are willing to stay up to the very end!