You are probably wondering what in the world my post title means…Purim, what in the world is that? Well, Purim is a yearly Jewish feast that celebrates the deliverance of the Jews during the time of Esther. I’m not Jewish, but I feel I have every reason to celebrate just as the Jews do each and every year. Let me explain.
I have loved the work schedule I have for so many reasons. One reason is that I get to stay home with Hayden some during the week and still do a little work, too. The other reason is that I get to enjoy Wednesday morning bible studies at my church with some wonderful, godly women, and that has been such a wonderful blessing for the past several years. This past year, I enrolled in a bible study called “Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman.” I had always loved the book of Esther and its story but never had studied it in very much detail. This study is a study written by Beth Moore, and it really touched my heart in so many ways. I definitely recommend the study if you haven’t done it before. You can buy it online at Lifeway Christian Bookstore. I recommend purchasing the study booklet and audio CDs. The study booklet is done at home, and the audio CDs include all of the in-class lessons so that you can listen to them in your car.
The study discussed several reasons why it is tough being a woman. It is tough being a woman in a world where beauty is a treatment. It is tough being a woman in another woman’s shadow. It is tough being a woman in the tight grip of fear. It is tough being a woman thrown a giant-sized weight. You get the picture. The study also focuses a lot on a term called “reversal of destinies” and how God is a God all about reversals. Think about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to this earth as a perfect Man to save us all, and He was mocked and scoffed at and crucified on a cross. And, one day, He will return and will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How’s that for a reversal – from the most humiliating death at the time to being glorified for eternity.
Think about reversals in your own life. Have you had any? Have you been through anything tough in your life and come out on the other side a changed person? Have you seen the hand of God at work taking you through difficult circumstances to change you for His glory? I hope you have. That is what my Purim is all about. Purim for me is all about the celebration of going through a fiery trial and coming out on the other side a changed person for the glory of God. Only God could do something like that. I know it firsthand.
Although I am not a Jew, I have set a time aside each year to celebrate my own deliverance…deliverance from sin and death but also deliverance from some strongholds in my life. December 18th is a significant day in my journey with God to reverse some things in my own life and seemed only appropriate as the day for me to set my yearly Purim celebration. Anyone who has gone through anything difficult in their own life can agree that Christmas can be a very joyous time each year but can be a very difficult time as well, as you remember things that have happened in your life. This is true for me, too.
When I was a young girl, I loved Christmas. I loved spending time with family and playing games with family and having traditions as a family. Basically, Christmas for me was time spent with my family. Well, in one year of my life, all of that was swooped away, and it was devastating for me. That year of my life was the most difficult time I have ever been through and can ever imagine going through. That year of my life forced me to work through some lifelong issues I had and to rely more on God than I ever had. God became more of a central thing in my life as He guided me to and through the right people who could help me work through things. There were so many times when I remember just feeling so alone and so confused and just had to ask God to wrap His arms around me. I needed His love to guide me and sustain me, and it was only His love that brought me through it.
As difficult as the situations were during that year and as much as they still hurt sometimes, God has taken those situations that He allowed me to go through and made me stronger through Him. One of my favorite verses since all of this happened has been 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
God can make you strong if you realize your own weakness without Him. You must humble yourself before Him and others so that it could only be Him that could explain it. Well, only God could explain the changes that have happened since then. These are just a few of my reversals: from pretense to truth, from make-believe to real, from my control to God’s control, from confused husband/wife roles to learning how to be the wife/husband God wants Chris and I to be, from a false baptism to a true baptism, from insecurity to realizing where my security comes from, and so many others. I am convinced that Hayden would not be here had I not gone through what I went through that year and that I definitely wouldn’t be the mother I am now if I hadn’t. I am also convinced Chris and I would be different partners for each other had we not been through what we went through that year.
Is everything with the situation perfect? No? Is Christmas still difficult? Yes. But, I have reason to celebrate. God took me (and Chris) through difficult situation after difficult situation during that year and brought us both out on the other side. There might be some wounds there, but God has healed so many others. For that, I am blessed and have reason to celebrate. I continue to pray for more reversals to occur and for continued growth in my Christian life, but for those that have already happened, I celebrate today.
Maybe Christmas is a difficult time for you. Maybe you have deep emotional hurts that dwindle your joy during this season. Just remember that it is all about a baby who was born to save us all. Just remember that if you rely on Him, He can reverse all the hurt and turn it in to amazement. He can teach you so much about yourself and can glorify Himself through you. You just have to let Him. I don’t want sound like I am over-simplifying the process. The process of healing is not easy and is not quick, and that alone is done in God’s time.
What am I going to do for my Purim celebration? Well, I’m going to spend a wonderful day with my husband and child. Tonight, Chris and I are enjoying the opportunity to let our church watch our son so we can do something together. And, I might even enjoy some Hamantaschen. Do the study…you’ll know what I mean.
I hope this Christmas is one full of blessings for you and your family. May you remember the reason for this season.
3 years ago
