The next memorization card is from Isaiah. It’s Isaiah 43:1b-2:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.”
You know, we can read verses like this and think, “Yeah! Right! I WAS overflowed by waters, I was scorched by fire!” This is what I can now tell you from my own experience. You weren’t. No, really, you weren’t. You know how I know? Because you are here, now, reading this. Your very survival of all that you were put through, is testimony that the Lord WAS there with you the entire time. Did He stop what happened? Stop your abuser? No, He didn’t. Do you know why? Because since Adam and Eve, everyone and I mean everyone, has free will. That is the whole foundation of mankind. Our Lord doesn’t make robots! He doesn’t make you do what you don’t want to do and He doesn’t make anyone else go against their own free will. That probably makes you very angry as you read this. However, what I am saying is proven in the Bible, over and over again.
HOWEVER, there is a hidden blessing. And it goes back to my life verse, Romans 8:28. “He uses ALL things for good, for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His promise.” He didn’t take away your abuser’s free will BUT He DOES promise to use it for good. He WILL use it to make you an even better person, a stronger person, a more caring person. I don’t know all the things that He does with abuse but I DO know that I am better for it! It took me many years to see that, but I have seen it for a long time now. He finally brought me to the point of healing so I was able to see the good that He did with something so horrible.
The REAL truth is that He loves you. The REAL truth is that He was there with you the whole time. That’s what the words of Isaiah mean. He WAS with you and in TRUTH, you are His and He is working healing in your heart as your read this. He WILL make you better for it. You will be stronger for it. He WILL make you more compassionate for others that went through the same pain you did.
When I am struggling the most, I CLING to His word and scriptures like above. Because despite how circumstances appear to us, HIS Word is absolute truth and I can promise you that you aren’t and never have been alone.