With her recent interview, I have heard from both the scoffer and the skeptical, to the inspired and impressed. But what just kills me is when believers (can I say that one more time) BELIEVERS are the critics instead of the champions. The woman has borne her soul as to the heartache and struggles in which she found herself. She has authentically shared the gut-wrenching decisions she's made, and the extremely difficult battle to get back her life....herself. Things that many of us keep hidden, she has chosen to drag into the Light. Her tragedies have gone public, on display for the world to see. Yet she has handled them with grace, and has returned to the public who loved her to tell them what God has done. How can we do anything but applaud her? How can we do anything but offer praise where it is due? Praise God for His infinite love and grace!
Have you ever been through a dark time in your life? Things that you wouldn't want a soul to know, much less the whole world? Have you felt the judgment of others? Have you experienced the rejection of another who thought they were in some way superior to you? There are not words to describe the pain.
When Dale and I went through our divorce, I would walk into the grocery store and people would see me and turn their cart and go the other way. Those who once told me what I meant to them when I had taught them or sung in church were now not speaking and giving me the cold shoulder. I never felt more alone and yet it was when I needed people to love me the most.
I'll never forget going into a store one day during our divorce. As I went to get my buggy, another young lady was getting her's. I knew this girl. She was not a leader in the church I went to, just one that came and brought her beautiful daughters. We were not great friends, but I certainly knew her and she certainly knew me, and my situation. I remember the shame and fear of more rejection that welled up within me. I didn't know if I should turn and walk away or push through it and grab my cart and go. So I braced myself for the blow and went for the carts. When I got to the buggy rack, her eyes met mine and she walked over and gave me a hug and said "Hey Jena. How are you?" I melted. I cannot remember what I did or even if I cried, but the relief, the acceptance, the LOVE I felt was overwhelming. That was over 12 years ago and it still makes me cry. I do remember saying to her, "Thank you; thank you for not judging me, but being friendly." and her reply was, "Oh Jena, after all I have done, who am I to cast judgment on you?" I have never forgotten it. (Thank you, Amy)
All of us, and I have been talking to Christians here, have walked through hard times. We've been deceived by an enemy who is real and we have found ourselves in messes we never thought we'd be. All of us have chosen our drug of choice to numb our pain, instead of running to Jesus. Whether drugs, people, alcohol, affairs, busy-ness, cutting and even church activities, we have chosen our ways of coping with life. We are wounded people, sometimes even angry people, and we all need God's grace. We all need His tender mercies to cleanse us. We desperately need His love to come and rescue us and heal us. And we need His people, believers, to love us too.
God's Word speaks a lot about grace. It speaks a lot about judging others. It goes as far as to say that with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Ouch! But what I think we miss, are the Scriptures that talk about perspective: seeing someone's life from God's vantage point. He tells us to consider others over and over again....to put ourselves in their moccasins. When God looks at people, what does He see? His bride that He loves so deeply and wants to save.....rescue.....cleanse......and walk with.....hand in hand......forever.
So today, I ask you, will you be judge and jury over Whitney Houston and others who are struggling? Or will you remember the heights from which you've fallen, the God who picked you up and rescued you, and praise His Name for doing it for Whitney and others. Will you be their biggest champion, cheerleader and support for boldly proclaiming God's power to change, heal, and mend? And for those in the midst of struggles: will you turn and walk away? Ignore? Reject? Or will you embrace them with the love of Jesus and help them to know that He stills loves and still cares. The choice is ours, believers....fellow disciples.....followers of Jesus. John 13:35 says, "This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples: when they see the love you have for each other."
For me, I choose to praise my Sweet Jesus for loving me enough to rescue me, pursue me, and relentlessly loving me back to Himself. I praise our great God for not giving up on me or Whitney Houston. And for you who may be reading this blog who is in the midst of deep addiction and struggle and pain, God has not and will not give up on you either. He loves you. He cares. He will come and save you. Would you run to Him?
An old song I used to sing:
"I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary to view the cross where Jesus died for me. How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul. He looked beyond my fault and saw my need."
Oh God, thank You for looking beyond all my faults and seeing my need and meeting me there. Help me to do the same to others. Help me to see others as You see them and love them as You love them. In Jesus' name, amen.
Wow! your post just made me cry. I'm a big fan of whitney and I have always kept her in prayer and asked God to keep her and deliver her.
I am so proud of her for telling her story which would not have been easy. I'm just thinking that i don't know or have not seen a celebrity on any level get on a highly rated show and answer each and every question about their life.
I'm not a famous person and I doubt that I would want some of my past secrets exposed. I am going to keep her in prayer. I believe that her testimony , because that is what it was will touch someone out there....an abused woman, someone's daughter on drugs or their son, someone in a bad marriage..
I thank God for praying mothers like her mom who didn't care about publicity and only wanted to save her daughter. I thank God that he put people in her life to be there for her when she needed them.
Thank you again for your post, it really touched me and reminded me of how judgemental our society is.
God Bless
My eyes are welling up with tears even now. How convicting to me. May I let God be the judge instead of me be the judger! I love you dearly Jena! so thankful to call you friend. Good stuff God is showing you!