What is real? - God Is More Than Able

Have you ever been duped? 

Have you ever asked yourself, "What is real?" 

There is not a more worse feeling in the world than to find out that what you thought was real, never was real at all. It steals your joy.

In the past two years I have been terribly deceived, twice, by Satan.

Satan is so real and has his grip on this world. It is evident in the choices people make. Satan is "the thief that only comes to steal, kill, and destroy," - John 10:10. 

Dupe #1: Satan killed and destroyed my marriage more than two years ago. I say more than two years ago because there were problems for years in the marriage. There were good times, but the years of manipulation, gaslighting - not knowing what was real - feeling unworthy, and unloved, finally made me shut down and pretty much give up. Our marriage finally came to an end with my husband's adulterous affair with another woman. December 30, 2021, he left our counseling session and did not return to our marriage. I felt like Satan had stolen part of God's plan for my life and it was my fault.

Dupe#2:This past summer, I met someone online who I thought was real, true, and honest. Throughout the fall, the relationship grew through texting and sharing pictures, but never talking live or face-timing. Turns out, I was being catfished; it was a romance scam. From the years of feeling unworthy and unloved, I was foolish wanting to feel loved and special, believing the flattering words and terms of endearment from this person behind the text. The person I believed this man to be, from the pictures he shared with me, was someone else and married.  The person behind the words, not in the pictures, was a thief, an impostor. My heart was crushed when I finally wised up and realized the truth. This person was not real. Satan had stolen another piece of trust from me while in disguise.

I share my stories briefly because I know that Jesus, the one who "came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly," - John 10:10, is with me and brings me peace and joy in all of this. I know that God will use my misfortune and turn it into fortune to help someone else. 

As the lyrics say in the following song by Elevation Worship, 

"God is more than able."

"He's not done with me yet,"

"There's so much more to this story."

What I know is.... God is real! I know he is going to use me for His purpose. He says to me, "Don't let the enemy have a foothold. Get up and battle on. Stay in the fight. Someone needs you to be the light of Jesus for them when Satan brings the darkness in their life and they don't know what is real."

My friend, if you aren't sure what is real, know this, God is REAL. His love for you is REAL. He demonstrated this through the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ, for our sins. God's love is REAL! Jesus is REAL! God is more than able. You will find real joy through Jesus.

Peace Allows Joy to Take Root - 2

At times I feel like I'm at peace, and the roots of joy in my life grow deeper. At other times, I feel like a storm is raging inside and there is no peace and joy is uprooted. I then ask the question, is there such thing as peace? Look at all that madness and turmoil in this world. But then, in the calamity of the storm, I hear an answer. Yes, there is peace. 

Jesus told his disciples, "I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid." - John 14:27 NLT

So why is it a struggle to find peace at times? 

For me, I think I lose sight of God's gift of peace when I rely on myself, other people, and the world without focusing on Christ and giving Him praise and glory for what is happening around me. When I don't trust God peace becomes fleeting allowing chaos and fear to grow up like weeds in my life. That is exactly what Satan wants. The Apostle Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 NLT, "Stay alert! Watch out for the great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." Satan wants a world without peace and a world without joy. 

However, I find reassurance in John 14:33 NLT when Jesus says, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." What joy it is to know that my peace is found in Jesus! Satan cannot have my peace, because Jesus has already overcome the world. Jesus dwells in my heart. So when the struggle and storm for peace rages, all I have to do is take heart because my Savior is with me. The gift of peace that Jesus has given each of us, allows joy to take root in our lives and causes chaos and fear to whither away.