VL - Issue 43- April 22

STEPPING FORWARD
HEALING FOR A
WOUNDED SOUL
BY LINDA CUBBEDGE-SMITH
IN MY SECOND YEAR OF MARRIAGE,
I experienced an unexpected storm that
robbed me of my peace and joy. Tom and
I had met in April 2018 and were married
three months later. We’d each had long,
beautiful marriages to our previous spouses
before we lost them to sickness.
We didn’t know each other very well
yet, but we felt the Lord had brought us
together. We quickly realized, however, that
starting a second marriage as senior adults
wasn’t as easy as we’d imagined.
By late summer of 2020, Tom and I separated,
and I moved back home.
My heart was full of resentment
and bitterness toward Tom, and
I hated feeling these emotions.
As a Christ-follower, I knew they
weren’t what God desired for me. I repented
repeatedly and tried not to allow them to
control me again. But those layers of deep
resentment mocked me.
I was experiencing tremendous emotional
pain. I was 69 years old and felt
helpless. Thankfully, this dark season led
me to draw close to my heavenly Father.
He lovingly cared for me and assured me
healing would come. Still, I longed to be
free of this deep wound in my soul.
During our separation, the Lord often
prompted me to call Tom. I didn’t want to
call him, though, as he might think I wanted
to come back to him. Then I felt the Lord
urging me to invite Tom over for dinner.
“What?! Please, Lord, don’t ask me to do
that!” But the Lord persisted.
I finally humbled myself and reached
out to Tom by text. I was hoping he would
decline my invitation so I could be off the
hook, but he didn’t. It wasn’t an easy evening
for me. I had so much pride lurking
in my heart.
One day, I was unpacking some jewelry
when I discovered that my gold herringbone
necklace was a tangled mess. The
links were twisted, and the chain felt like
sharp edges of broken glass.
I tried to remove the kinks by holding
each end of the necklace and stretching
it. It didn’t work. Then I tapped the kinked
links on my dresser. To my shock, the necklace
fell smoothly into place!
“God, help me to forgive others
as You have forgiven me.”
I asked God about that necklace, and
He showed me that, just as my chain had
gotten twisted in the move, my soul was
tangled too. And the kinks of my soul were
sharp and rigid like the chain.
I knew I needed to remain in faith and
trust God’s Word so His Living Water
could take me to a healthier place and
untangle the deep hurt of my soul. I needed
to replace my bitter thoughts with God’s
promises so His healing power could work
in my life.
I made it a practice each morning to verbally
clothe myself in God’s Word as I physically
dressed. Often, I claimed the power
of Colossians 3:12–14 as I prayed, “Lord,
I am clothing myself with tender-hearted
mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience. I choose to make allowance for
Tom’s faults and forgive any offense as
You have forgiven me. I will clothe myself
with love and trust it to bind us together
in harmony.”
Soon, I saw evidence of God working out
the kinks of our relationship. By the fall of
2020, the Lord had reconciled our marriage.
We didn’t have everything figured out, but
we were committed to loving and respecting
one another and letting God change
us. Since then, we have enjoyed our life
together, as the Lord had planned.
Perhaps today, your situation seems
hopeless. Call on the Lord Jesus before
bitterness takes hold of you. Surrender
your situation to God and permit
Him to change you.
The Holy Spirit will give you a
teachable and humble heart as you
devour God’s Word and speak His
powerful promises into your life. Further,
as you obey His kind leading, the Lord will
bring healing to your soul and situation too.
Pray with me: “Father, forgive me for
any hidden offenses that are giving ground
to the devil. Reveal them to me. Now, in
the name of Jesus, I sever from my soul
every menacing spirit of pride, unbelief,
and stubbornness. I denounce the painful
memories that are keeping me in bondage.
I cut off any spirit of rejection and anger
from their place of habitation in my soul.
Instead, I choose to clothe myself with Your
peace, tender-hearted mercy, kindness,
love, and humility. God, help me to forgive
others as You have forgiven me.”
LINDA CUBBEDGE-SMITH was Victorious
Living’s Prison Correspondence Outreach Director
from 2014 until June of 2021. She is currently
working on a book about the goodness of God and
remains passionate about leading others to Him.
8 Issue 02 / 2022 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM