"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us."  Romans 8:18

From Bitterness To Joy

Were you ever so angry that you wanted to throw something out the nearest window? That’s exactly what I wanted to do with my crutches when I was a child. Bitterness was in my heart because I was born with cerebral palsy and couldn’t run and play like other children. I didn’t like the way God had created me. I didn’t want to be handicapped.

It took a long time for me to realize that my real handicap was not my physical condition but my bitterness and rebellion. When I was growing up in Illinois, my Christian grandma often wrote to us from North Carolina, and in her letters she would mention the Lord. When we would visit her, she would talk to me about becoming a Christian. This started me thinking about my spiritual condition. However, I was not ready to admit that I had a problem with sin. I thought I would make it to Heaven, and not Hell, by attending church and hoped that my good works would outweigh my bad works.

It was not until I moved away from home that the Lord showed me my need for Him. One morning in a church service I realized I needed to stop trusting in myself and start trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. I needed to turn from my rebellion and obey the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that my grandma had given me. So I accepted the Lord as my Savior and began trusting in His blood shed on the cross for me as payment for my sins.

The Lord has changed my attitude from bitterness to joy. Being on crutches in this life doesn’t matter, because this body is only temporal. When I get to Heaven, I will have a new and perfect body like the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, I am physically handicapped; I cannot walk without crutches. But all of us are born spiritually handicapped. Our sins have separated us from God and we cannot save ourselves. It is only by faith and trusting in the finished work of His Son upon the cross that we can be spiritually healed.

What about you? If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you too are handicapped by sin.

Please read what God tells us in His Word:

"For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God."  ( Romans 3:23).

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  ( Romans 6:23).

"But God commendeth [shows] His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us"  ( Romans 5:8).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."  ( Ephesians 2: 8-9)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"  (Romans 10:9-10).

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  ( Romans 10:13 )

Won’t you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior today?

If you would like to know and experience the joy Kay Newman speaks of in her testimony of faith; visit the Promise of Hope to learn how Jesus Christ can heal and remove a person’s spiritual handicap.

All textual and pictorial content on this page taken from the "From Bitterness To Joy" tract by the Kay Newman.

© 2004.  No part of this page within No Tears In Heaven may be reproduced or reused in any way, electronic or print, without the expressed permission of the webmaster of No Tears In Heaven, or its respective author.