“Emma”

Emma stood alone in her dimly lit apartment, the rain pattering against the window like a mournful symphony. Her mind wandered back to the nights she had spent lost in the haze of alcohol. It had started innocently enough—a drink with friends after work. But one drink turned into two, then three, and before she knew it, the bottle became her closest companion. 

Smoking had been just as effortless to pick up. It was something to do with her hands, something to numb the gnawing emptiness inside. The first puff was a whim, the second a habit. Soon, she couldn't imagine a morning without the harsh comfort of the smoke.

Fornication and adultery followed suit. Each encounter was a fleeting escape from the loneliness that clawed at her soul. It was easy, far too easy, to find solace in the arms of strangers and, eventually, in the betrayal of vows that should have meant something more. The thrill of the forbidden, the rush of secrecy, all too tempting to resist.

Gambling became another escape, the adrenaline rush of winning and the crushing despair of losing blending into a blur. Money slipped through her fingers like sand, but it was the least of her concerns. The lies she told to cover her tracks, the curses that slipped from her lips in moments of frustration, they all became second nature.

Sins of the flesh came naturally, as though they were the only way to feel alive. The world outside offered temptations at every corner, and Emma was an eager participant in the hedonistic dance. Each sin was a step deeper into the abyss, and the descent was effortless.

Then, one bleak morning, she found herself staring into the mirror, unable to recognize the woman reflected back. The lines on her face told a story of regret and sorrow, and the emptiness in her eyes was too profound to ignore. In that moment, she felt a stirring within her—a longing for something more, something pure.

Emma decided to serve God. The decision came quietly, without fanfare, but it was a commitment that resonated deep within her. She expected peace, perhaps a sense of relief. Instead, she found herself thrust into a battle she had never anticipated.

The very thought of commitment felt insurmountable. Every step forward was met with resistance. The nights were longer, the cravings stronger. Old friends mocked her newfound faith, and the lure of her former vices seemed to strengthen with each passing day. The path to redemption was fraught with obstacles, each one a reminder of her past sins.

Problems she had never faced before arose, testing her resolve. Financial troubles, health issues, and broken relationships all seemed to converge upon her, a storm of adversity aimed at breaking her spirit. Emma realized that the devil knew she was on the brink of transformation, and he would stop at nothing to pull her back into the darkness.

But she pressed on, clinging to the hope that there was a better life waiting on the other side of her struggles. Prayer became her anchor, and though the battles raged on, she felt a quiet strength growing within her. Each day was a test, each moment a choice between the ease of her past sins and the hard-fought purity she sought.

Emma's journey was far from over, but she knew one thing with certainty: serving God was the hardest thing she had ever done, but it was also the most important. The road ahead was long and fraught with challenges, but she faced it with a newfound determination, knowing that true change was never easy, but always worth the fight.

Nothing should deter you from serving God. The devil is robbing society of the chance to get right. 

Psalm 34:8 appeals to us; “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

Someone once said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it’s faced.”

Isaiah 40:31 gives sweet consolation;

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

John 10:10 says nothing but the absolute truth; “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." 🙏🏽