I recently listened to a woman give her testimony of painful life experiences and where they had left her. She said the words “but God” through tears and pain. It struck me because others who I have heard use these words in a testimony said as if it were a breath of fresh air.
But God shined the spotlight on the miracle I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. But God saw a way through the struggle that I could’ve never envisioned on my own. But God had other plans.
‘But God’ is a turning point.
Surviving, as much as we all want to do it, is simply the flesh. My flesh made it through the struggle. My flesh survived. My flesh overcame. If my flesh had died, my soul would have ascended into Heaven.
If you are reading this, your soul has survived.
When people look at me, they see my flesh. Without details of my life experiences they can only know that, thus far, I have survived. It is impossible to look at a person and know whether their soul has overcome. We go through each day with little realization of the broken souls we encounter because there is no obvious physical sign of their wounds.
I lived through being cheated on and having a child out of wedlock. I survived my grandfather disowning me because I would not have an abortion. While my flesh and my soul survived, I carried the pain and rejection of my grandfather for twenty years. My earthly father’s father disowned my flesh. He died when my daughter was one year old. There was no peace making. I kept this bruise on my soul for two decades.
By the grace of God, my soul is not condemned to wear this bruise for eternity. I have had it long enough. Why would I choose to keep it when my God is willing and able to take it away?
Release it to be restored.
My flesh’s answer to granddad’s disapproval was to raise my daughter to be a beautiful, intelligent, trustworthy and witty asset to society. My soul’s resolution, my bruise removal, is faith in the One who is always faithful to me.
My granddad’s flesh was broken. When we talk about the flesh, we may be speaking of the emotion surrounding earthly acts. My grandfather did not physically harm me, but his actions hurt my feelings. This is still the flesh. When you are ready to release it, whatever it is, and truly heal your soul, remember the Word.
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
God has already done this for us. He has already provided you all that you need to overcome. Now you just have to choose to release it to Him.
My soul ached for twenty years and I was prepared to ache for twenty more, but God…
Kim Weingart
Restored People Community 