Through the young years of my life, I've had the honor of meeting many inspirational people that have left me breathless. Frozen in my steps, in awe of witnessing God's strength and contentment in such "weakened" circumstances, is my friend Jeanette, a fourteen-year-old girl from Southern California, fighting for her life as cancerous tumors take over her body. She is still most hopeful, filled with love to give, and doesn't take one day for granted. Her precious, real and raw testimony was shared on our VERVE DVD and many have written to us about how she inspired them. Jeanette is a person in my life who reminds me of how great our God really is. She is being used by Him as a light in this dark world. I had the pleasure of visiting her at home last week after she had been fighting for her life in the hospital for three months. She thanks many of you for your prayers. She is doing better after her surgeries but will be having two more major removals from her lungs in the coming months. Your prayers are appreciated.
One of my mentors once said to me, "Nick, do not follow the bright lights-follow the Bright Light." Last month, after speaking at Bay Pointe Community Church, I visited the gorgeous town of Traverse City, Michigan. The pastor said to me that many come to start a brand new life in that town to get away from the "hustle and bustle" of city life. Reflecting on his comment, I believe that all of us desire to start over at one point in our lives, wanting a new or different life. Who of us doesn’t want to be free of the hurt in our lives? Struggles and painful memories can make us to feel totally helpless, or leave us feeling dissatisfied with life in general. Some of us want to run away from our problems or pain because of the emotional suffering and emptiness we feel inside, hoping that moving away will cause them to go away too. As a teenager, I wished sometimes that a surgeon could open my heart up and mend the broken pieces, or go inside my brain and cut out the replay button in my memory lobe. All of us have to deal with both wonderful and painful memories.
The Good News of Christ promises that when we come to the realization that the pain is bigger than us, we can turn to Him for grace and compassion, because He is able to change our world in an instant! If He doesn't take our pains away, we can be assured by His Word that He promises to walk us through whatever it is that He is allowing. It may be that our heart and attitude needs to change, or we need to forgive someone. It may be that the Lord is dealing with sin in our lives, or teaching us to trust Him alone. Every day, when we walk with the Lord, we are learning what it means to be committed no matter what; and we are also learning to trust God no matter what!
His grace is amazing and sufficient for all time, for all people (2 Cor. 12:9). It is through those times we learn who God is, and how small and foolish we are before Him. We are foolish if we think that a circumstantial change will fulfill us emotionally and spiritually. Moving to a new place, getting married, starting a new job…none of these can truly heal a heart or get you a peace that only comes from a true relationship with Jesus. You can have it all materially, and yet still have nothing spiritually. Ask the Lord to guard you, comfort you, change you and lead you. He wants to and He will. He never fails because His love never fails. Maybe moving is what the Lord wants for you, but I can guarantee that you do not want to be out of the will of God. That's why Jeanette has peace-because she knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she is in the will of God for her life. That's the freedom I have! That's the reason I can take one day at a time, because I know He is with me and He will not let me have more than I can handle, by His Grace (1 Cor. 10:13). I'm never alone and He'll never leave my side (Heb 4:15).
Believe in the truth of all His promises. Don't wait for a circumstantial change. If you are not satisfied in God today, you don't know what I know about Him, and you probably won’t be satisfied with Him tomorrow either. If you do not know God, get to know Him. Pray. Seek. Believe that He exists and knows all about you and loves you regardless. I love you all very much and can't express in words how excited I am to be alive. I've never been in love with my Jesus like I am today!
Be blessed and be filled with peace. Shalom.
Nick Vujicic
Follow Us On: