SHE CANNOT BUT HE CAN

I often read Lysa Terkeurst’s blog from Proverb’s 31 Ministries. She has an amazing insight and an incredible gift for writing. God always speaks clearly to me through her words. Every time I read her blog, it seems that she has written about the very thing I needed on that particular day or something that I, too, struggle with.

This past June, she dedicated a post to temptation. She described it as Satan’s three step plan and here is a summary of that plan:

1. Satan wants us to crave physical gratifications (sex, drugs, food, alcohol, etc.) and to become preoccupied with them. He uses stimulation such as sound, touch, taste, and sight to accomplish this. He then keeps us distracted with cycles of guilt and justifications.

2. He wants us to remain forever distracted by never being satisfied, always wanting more, newer, bigger, shinier… (power, money, “things”)

3. He crowns us lord over whatever has captivated us. We are now elevated, revered, worthy, noticed, commended, prideful…

With my daughter in mind, I want to add an OR to step #3:

OR we become addicted. (Not being proud of our attainments, but rather chained to them)

This is where she is in her life right now: addicted. She told me so once. She has not become lord over her choices, they have become lord over her. This is why SHE CANNOT get out of her pit.

Dear K,

I know you have slipped away from me again. I am all too familiar with your absence , the unanswered phone calls, unanswered messages, and your excuses. I hear your lies, but more importantly I see them on your face.

Heartache gripped me yesterday as I walked through Wal-mart buying groceries for this weekend. I had high hopes of spending it with you. I choked back the tears wondering where you were and what you were doing, and I am not only referring to this week or last, but what happened to my daughter, where is she? I was overcome with the all too familiar feelings of disbelief. It was never suppose to be this way. These were not my plans. These were not His plans.

I hold on tight when you allow me to, with the hope that one day my grip will be strong enough to help you out of the pit you are in. I am not sure exactly when, but you let go again, and I am overcome with discouragement.

For several weeks now, I have had a strong desire to have another heart-to-heart talk with you. The right time never came. Did I go the extra mile to find the right time or was it simply not in His plan? I do not know. Would it have made a difference? I do not know that either. But, I do know this:

Your addictions are keeping you where you are right now: far away from me, far away from this family that loves you, and far away from God. I also believe with all my heart that although my grip may not be strong enough to help you, His is. I have the assurance that one day, you will take His hand as He delivers you from all of this. The addictions are not good for you (physically, mentally, or spiritually), but their influences are too strong for you to overcome. He will have to be the one to do it.  HE CAN. He will bring you into a better place. Why? Because He delights in you! I, too, delight in you.

I love you, Mom

Psalms 18:17-19 “He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. He brought me also into a large place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me.”