The God Of Second Chances

No conflict is so severe as his who labors to subdue himself.~Thomas a Kempis

There are few people who know utter despair like those who desperately want to stop some destructive behavior yet find themselves incapable of doing so. They may be substance abusers, wife beaters, workaholics. It may be anger, adultery, promiscuity or pornography.The list might include gambling, stealing, or any myriad of behaviors that damage or destroy our relationships with loved ones and God. To want to stop these behaviors yet be unable to is heartbreaking to watch for those of us who care.

Often, the destruction is complete. The sufferers life is a flaming ruin, they are reduced to little more than human wreckage with no real reason to even remain on the planet. If they were to die at that point there'd be scarecly a ripple on the pond of life, hardly anyone would even notice they're gone.

No problem. 

It's at that point the God of Second Chances can stride in,, snatch the sufferer from the jaws of the monster, and deliver him to the shores of a better land. I don't know about you, but in early June, 1989 I was a man in desperate need of a second chance. Homeless, unemployable, drinking a 1.5 of vodka a day, bleeding from both mouth and bowels, and totally alone. Shaking so hard I could not get toothpaste on a toothbrush, all I wanted was to die. Little did I know that in just a few days I was going to be delivered into the hands of a group of Good Samaritans who were to teach me the most important lesson about God I've ever learned. "There is a God and I'm not Him."

Four years later I returned to the faith of my childhood, sober and teachable, and it's been a remarkable journey filled with joy and sorrow, but never lacking the God of Second Chances. So if you have a loved one or friend hellbound to destruction, he just might be in preparation to receive a gift. It's always a mystery why some of us require complete devastation in order to pay attention, but that's just the way it is, a complete deflation of self leading to total defeat can sometimes be the launching pad to glory.