Stories on StoriesEsimerkki

Before and After

There are many before and after scenarios we go through in life. Before and after learning to drive. Before and after getting married or having children. But there is one before and after that makes an eternal difference in our lives—before and after receiving Christ. The gospel of John says that Jesus came to His people, but they did not receive Him; those who did receive Him were given the right to a new identity as the children of God (John 1:11-12).

There are instances when the Heavenly Father allows His children to go through difficulties that no one can explain. It is only because of His love and grace in the before and after that we can testify that God never failed us—He was always there.

There is the before of an orphan and the after of being adopted and embraced by a loving family, which now gets to tell orphans about God’s love.

There is the before life of a criminal who met Jesus at rock bottom, and He gave him an after as a soul-winning preacher.

The before of being an addict who lost everything, to the after of living as a righteous, free man before God and his family.

The before of losing an unborn child while being terminally ill and the after of beating the odds against cancer, living a healthy life, and using every breath to worship the Lord.

There is the before of a little girl who overheard her parents say that she should’ve been born a boy, who later became rebellious and homeless, to the after of finding her identity in how God sees her and making Him her home.

The before of a child of God who was mentally ill, abused, and practising witchcraft, who was saved, delivered from demons, completely healed, and now lives a life to teach others to live free and holy in Jesus.

There is also the wounded marine who lost both legs and whom God healed from his physical, emotional, and mental wounds, and is now living a life to proclaim that he can stand because the God of angel armies is his banner.

There is the before of being infertile, conceiving and bringing a weak, sick baby into the world, to the after of God healing that baby boy who now worships Jesus along with his family.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being with me in my before and after.