Locked In A Box

Not so long ago, I had a very difficult week. I had spoken many times over the weekend. I came home to see a pile of work on my desk. I didn’t feel like praying; I felt like giving up. I wanted to quit traveling and speaking. I managed to convince myself that my speaking wasn’t doing any good anyway. I was sure no one loved me and no one would notice if I quit. I felt locked in a box of performance with little compensation or encouragement. I tried to pray, but all I could do was cry. I did manage however to let God know that I needed some love, attention, and encouragement.

I returned to my house after a brief shopping trip to find someone had left a beautiful little miniature rose bush at my door. The card simply said, “We love you.” Later several people called saying they were just “checking in,” and wanted me to know they loved me. When I finally got to my scripture readings for the day, the verse said, “Will ye also go away?” John 6:67. I felt as though Christ was saying to me personally, “Marilyn, are you going to leave me, too?” I wept as I realized Christ loved me enough to prompt someone to leave a little rose bush at my door. He loved me enough to have friends call just to say they loved me. Then Christ arranged my devotions so that on the very day I needed to be reminded that I mattered to Christ, He would so sweetly ask me, “Are you going to leave me, too?”Satan had constricted me and put me in a box of self-pity and self-condemnation. But Christ’s love had constrained me, unlocked the box and set me free to bask in His love.

Written by Marilyn Heavilin: Marilyn Heavilin is a woman with a love for the Word, and God has gifted her with an ability to express what she has learned from the Bible in a practical, entertaining, and common sense fashion.

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Think About This: “Were men everywhere to ignore the things that matter little or not at all and give serious attention to the few really important things, most of the walls that divide men would be thrown down at once and a world of endless sufferings ended. “— Aiden Wilson Tozer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. ~Jeremiah 17:9-10

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.