Songs of the Soul: A Lent DevotionalSample

As believers, we continue to have areas in our lives that require God’s transformation. I am aware of my tendencies to be silently arrogant, blame-shifting, calculative, defensive, edgy, inferior, insecure, judgmental, narrow-minded, vengeful, self-centered, unkind, etc. that could lead me to feel unworthy, shameful, overwhelmed, and hopeless – completely opposite to what God intended, which is for me to feel loved and to love others.

Around ten years ago, I came across the phrase, “walk on eggshells”. It was new yet familiar and eye-opening to me as it expressed in words what I had been experiencing since a young age that affected my relationships with myself, others, and God.

Being the oldest child in my Chinese wounded family, there were many verbal and non-verbal expectations that led me to misunderstand family members, myself, others, and God’s Love. I became insecure and judgmental. The hurts were mislabelled and became hatred and bitterness. I carried it with me even after I believed in Jesus and hated myself for disobeying God’s Commands. It was almost impossible to be set free in God’s Truth.

But by God’s Eternal, Enormous, and Ever-Present Love, He helped me gradually understand that I am in a transformation process and that He pursues and helps me in it, and surrounds me with people to journey with. The psalm states clearly that we are invited to respond to His Example and live in oneness as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I still struggle with “walking on eggshells” in different avenues but I am grateful to see God’s Patience in helping me feel healed and restored.

While we consciously prepare our hearts in remembering what God has Sacrificially Done for us to have life during this Lent season, may we also yearn to learn from Jesus in developing a lifestyle of responding to the Holy Spirit’s ongoing invitation to receive His Love in His Ways in every area of personal and corporate matters.

Charlotte Lui
Prayer Ministry

Prayer:

Thank You, our Triune God, for making Yourself lavishly available to me despite knowing my tendencies to ignore You. Cast me not away from Your Presence and take not Your Spirit away from me. Amen.