Grace And Truth

John 1:17 – For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (NIV)

As I have continued to work as a clinical therapist with women who have drug and alcohol problems, some things have been revealed to me through the Holy Spirit's intervention and the truth of God's Word. Not long ago, I had the opportunity to speak with a bright, attractive, gentle, and kind woman. Her smile lit up my office, but as we talked, the guilt and shame that she had carried for years suddenly beset all of her obvious assets. She told me about her life that had been riddled with fear and the need to be in control, which led to her drug addiction. She went further to tell me about her feelings of abandonment as a result of her father's murder when she was a small child. I could partially relate, for I had once felt such utter despair. Having been in bondage to alcohol for seven years, I knew a bit about her pain. Yet, thankfully, by the grace and truth of Jesus Christ, I now knew the freedom from a jail cell not surrounded by bars, but by beer bottles. A pretty ridiculous image, but countless individuals who may read this just might relate — either directly or indirectly.

While my graduate degree is not in Christian counselling, I prayed that God would speak through me to help this desperately desperate woman. As she discussed how fearful she was of what others thought of her, and the feeling that she simply would never measure up to the likes of her pastor's daughter, who had a college degree and a nice car, I felt led to share the following Scripture:

1 John 4:4 – Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)

She paused for a moment before remarking that it was most unusual that I had quoted this Scripture, as this verse was not only her favourite, but the very one that she repeated to herself each day, for some modicum of assurance and hope. She began to cry, and stated that she had a phone call to make to her pastor. As we ended this hour-long session, she said that her pastor would be so excited to hear from her. I couldn't help but think about how excited our Lord — even more so — would be in her decision to come back home. I also couldn't help but realize that each time we choose to get into God's will, and out of His way, He can invariably use us as humble messengers for His mighty message.

Galatians 5:18 – But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (KJV)

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for leaving us with the Holy Spirit to guide, counsel, and comfort us. We thank You for the law of Moses, but we thank You even more for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came after Moses to give us a future and a hope, that can only be discovered and gained by accepting and applying the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ. We ask that You would continue to pour out more of Your Holy Spirit into our lives, so that we can better discern Your Word, and speak it boldly to those who need to hear it. For it is in the precious name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

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