Be Good to You...

I have a good friend who is really hurting right now. She is filled with sadness, confusion and that feeling of being overwhelmed by life's distractions - these temporary hurts that feel unbearable and will last forever.
I want to take some of this burden from her. I want her to know that she is not alone. I want to tell her that nothing, absolutely nothing, is too big for God to handle. I want her to know that this is how faith grows. I want her to feel the comfort of God's hands holding her, cradling her, protecting her from harm.

I want her to know what a blessing she has been to me. I want her to know that I believe that God has crossed our paths for a reason - there is a divine purpose and plan at work, right here, right now.

I want to tell her to be good to herself. I want her to know that God has lovingly created her, and it is pleasing to Him when we are kind to ourselves.

I want her to know that the enemy is telling her that she is not worthy. The enemy is stalking her, whispering lies into her ear, tempting her to believe that perfection and material achievements are pleasing to God. The deceitful one is luring her away into the dark paths paved in self-will and self-centered desires. The evil one wants her to believe that God has given up on her... That God is not listening... That God is punishing her... That she is unforgivable... That she does not deserve peace, love and joy. The evil one wants her to clothe herself with guilt and shame, blocking out all sunlight of the spirit. The enemy is working to choke all hope, strangle faith and isolate her from love.

My dear sister... I tell you these things because I have heard the lies and the deceitful temptations that are seemingly true. I know the truth today because I have believed the lies. I have followed the deceiver into the darkness. I have abandoned truth in order to believe the lies, trying to find the easier, softer way to happiness. I believed the lies because I selfishly wanted instant gratification. I chased the ever-elusive "happiness" and the price was my soul.

But, that was not the end of my story. God was chasing me, pursuing me, willing to save me. Thank God for His grace and mercy!

Dearest friend... I am here to tell you that you are worth it. You are loved. You are enough. You are accepted, just as you are. You are a child of God, a daughter of the King. You are precious in His sight.