Into The Deep   Christian Words to Inspire

 

Hope and a Future

by Sushmitha David     March, 2015     

 

My name is Sushmitha, and I live in India.  I am a young woman of 23 years old.  I was born again when I was 17.  Already, God has taken me through various seasons as I have moved forward in my walk of faith.

 

Since I was eight, my parents would tell us stories from the Bible daily.  Every morning they made me and my sisters read the Holy Bible even though we didn’t understand. One day I stubbornly determined that I would never read my Bible or pray again.  I was depressed about my decision because I truly did want to hear from God.  I thought that I would open my Bible one more time.  I would give God one more chance.  If He would speak to me, then I would continue my faith in Him.  If He didn’t speak, then I would not continue.  I didn't want mindless, unquestioning religion.  I wanted a real relationship with God—one in which we would interact.

 

God knew the desperation I felt when I started reading my daily portion of scripture.  For that day it was Jeremiah 29.  When I got to verse 11, God spoke clearly to my heart:

 

For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future – Jeremiah 29:11 NIV.

 

I was glad to hear from God and to receive such a powerful word for my life.  I was very excited!  I expected that God would “prosper me” right away, and He did, but not in ways that I anticipated.  On the road ahead were some difficult lessons.

 

I received a degree in Computer Science in 2012.  I immediately began looking for employment, but after attending 49 interviews, I was still without work.  In spite of that, I looked to God and continued to wait on Him to provide a job.  I tried to be patient, but after so many interviews, this was difficult.  I often was discouraged.  But deep within, I knew that God was testing my faith in Him, and my waiting was not in vain.  As a result of my 50th interview, God gave me a good job beginning the first week in January, 2015.  I am now an iOS application developer.  Fifty is the number of “jubilee,” and significantly, the grace of God fell upon me.

 

God has also tested me in the area of relationships.  Because of His love for me, the Lord is very strict.  He says, for example, “No, you can’t be close friends with that girl because her lifestyle will cause you harm.”  Another time He might say, “No, you cannot date that young man because his motives are not good.”  I learned to accept my Father’s will for me when I understood that He has a wonderful plan for my life.  Today, instead of wanting acceptance and love from the world, I enjoy the amazing love of God.  He is the best choice I have ever made.

 

I know God fights my battles for me.  I have the Bible as my guide.  Life is amazing because of Jesus!  After all, He took this “wild child” and made me into a beautiful flower.  I thank Him for the difficult times in my life because now I see how how much strength I have in Him.  I know who I am in Him.  No matter what the enemy tries to do to me, he cannot destroy me.  My life is worth living! 

 

Please understand: It is the truth that God can take our worst pain—whether it comes from something we did or from something done to us—and make something beautiful from that pain and from the ashes of our lives.  This is God’s grace.  And because of this grace, I now know that I am a woman of infinite worth to my God.

 

Friend, the question is not “Where is God?”  The question is “Where are you?”  The void in you will never be filled unless you give your heart to Him.  God uses the things that hurt you to change you and make you like Him.  When God allows something to be taken from you, He will give you something greater.  If you put it in the hands of God, that which hurts you will be used to transform you.  If you bring the ashes of your life to the cross of Christ, He will give you something beautiful in return.  One word from Jesus can fix everything!