Inspirational Article From Joanne Lowe Index of Writings by Joanne Lowe on Gospel Web

FROM A CHILD’S HEART

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.”

Isaiah 43: 2, 3a King James Version

While watching a church service on television yesterday, I heard a testimony that broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes and to my heart. As the lady was giving her testimony, I could see the hurt in her eyes. The lady told us “I had severe arthritis when I was a child and instead of my mother taking me to school she made me walk. The school was a block and a half away and it took me an hour and a half to walk to school. My mother would watch me as I walked to school and when I fell, and I fell several times on my way to school, my mother just stood there and watched me. When I became an adult, I realized that in her own way my mother had tried to give me independence but I had become very bitter. Yes, I was saved but I carried all of that bitterness, pain and hurt in my heart for many years”.

How my heart went out to this dear precious lady! I could feel some of the pain, hurt and agony that she had endured when she was a child. She told us that she couldn’t understand why her mother wouldn’t take her to school or help her up when she fell. She said that she had gone many places and accomplished many things but the bitterness was buried deep in her heart until she gave it to Jesus and He set her free from the painful memories of her childhood. When she told us about falling so many times and her mother not picking her up, my thoughts turned to our faithful Saviour, Jesus.

Thank God that we have a Saviour who picks us up when we fall. Not only does He pick us up, He walks beside us and holds our hands and He never leaves us, not even for a minute. He is faithful and we can depend on Him. When the storms and the horror and pain of our lives threaten to overwhelm us and we feel like we are going under the water for the last time, He reaches down, takes our hands and lifts us up once again. He tenderly put His arms of compassion and understanding around us, gives us a big hug and holds us close to His heart of unconditional love and mercy. He whispers softly in our ears “I Love you”. He is faithful to comfort and encourage us.

We can’t get rid of the pain of our childhood by ourselves. It is only with His help that we are able to overcome all the painful memories of our childhood. It took many years for me to realize that Jesus really does love me and that He does care what happens to me. Only the healing tenderness from the heart of Jesus can take away all the bitterness, resentment and hurt that is buried deep in our hearts. If we will keep our trust in Jesus, He will bring us through the storms of life victoriously.

If you have been holding on to bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness in your heart from the pain of your childhood, give them to Jesus. He understands how much it hurts and He is waiting for you to come to Him. He longs to set you free from the painful memories that have kept you from walking in the joy and happiness that He so lovingly gives to us.

There is no greater love than the Love of our Saviour and there is no greater friend than Jesus! He can take all the fragmented pieces of our lives and put them together so that we can have His peace in our lives, a peace that the world can’t give and the world can’t take away from us. I urge you to give all of your pain to the only One who can give you freedom.

Joanne Lowe

May 7, 2007

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