Just in time...

    From a young age Cristina’s life was filled with pain. She turned to heavy drugs and even self harm in an attempt to numb that pain. It didn’t help that her parents got divorced and she found herself going down a very dark path.
    One day, she was pulled over by the police and they found a significant amount of drugs in her car. She was arrested. When her bail was posted, she returned to her job. For most of her life, she had battled with suicidal thoughts. It scared her now because this time, she planned to take her life on her return home from work that night. While sitting at her desk planning how to carry out her plan, a man tapped her on her shoulder. He told her that he had a word from the Lord for her. He shared with her Jeremiah 29:11 from his bible: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He asked  if she wanted to accept Jesus into her life. She told Jesus that she didn’t know who He was but she invited Him to come into her heart and to save her and her nine month old baby. After praying, she admitted that she felt weights lifted and knew that chains were broken off of her life instantly. 
    However, she was scared because she knew that she was still facing jail time and the possibility of losing her son. She worried about the kind of life she was giving to him. When she asked to speak with the District Attorney, she confessed that Jesus Christ had saved her and that she was deeply sorry for what she had done. Twenty minutes later, she was released. She immediately praised and gave the glory to God. She was guilty, there was no doubt about it, but she knew that Jesus had wiped her slate clean. She was a free woman. She believes that God takes adversity and dark seasons and uses them for His glory and for our good.
    God knows exactly when to step into our situation. He may seem to be taking long to intervene, but God is never late. In fact, He has a way of being right on time. His timing may not be ours but it is always perfect. Cristina, had had enough and felt that she could not go on. Just when she reached the end of her rope, God stepped in. Sometimes, we may feel as if God is taking long to answer. Yet, God knows exactly when to step into our situation. His timing may not be our timing. He may not step in when we would like Him to, but He will  step in at the perfect time. 
    Sometimes, we just have to go through, so that the lessons to be learned along the way will be well learned. After all, we cannot encourage others if we have never been through difficult seasons. We cannot comfort someone, if we have not experienced sadness. God does not waste a single negative experience in our lives. He uses all of it for our good and even for the good of others. 
    I love the fact that Cristina knew that she was guilty. She does not deny it. So when Jesus wiped her slate clean, it must have been exhilarating for her. She was encountering a God who loved her enough to erase the negative in her life. God loves us enough to look beyond our faults and flaws and to see our need. To Him, that is what is important - our need for Him. Never think that you are too far gone that God cannot reach you. Never believe the lie that your problem is too big for God to handle. God is so much bigger than it all and He delights in stepping in and making each of those big challenges small.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. No matter what you go through, God will always step in at the right time. He sees and knows exactly what you need when you need it. Nothing that you go through is wasted by Him. He will use all of it to bring about good in your life and in the lives of others. Be encouraged!

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