Carolyn Had Lost Her Way

A Fictional Narrative

Carolyn grew up in church. Her parents were the pastors of the church she attended all through her formative years. She enjoyed going to church and gave her heart to the Lord when she was 7 years old. She was Baptized with the Holy Spirit at the age of 11 and served the Lord in all she did. Carolyn considered herself much blessed for knowing the Lord and for seeing His continued blessings in her life.

After High School, Carolyn went off to college in a distant state and experienced a strong pushback against the Gospel. Her professors were very liberal and they were not shy about speaking about their hatred of everything Christian. Carolyn found that most of her fellow students went along with this, and Carolyn found herself conflicted and unsure of her faith for the very first time in her life. She began attending parties and experimenting with things that she knew were wrong. In a matter of time, Carolyn had pretty much abandoned the faith in the Lord that she had so treasured in her formative years.

Her parents prayed for her and sought to counsel her in the ways of the Lord, but Carolyn resisted and hardened her heart against the Lord’s drawing. She graduated from college and settled in the same city that had been her home during her college years. She was hired by a local company and rented a nice apartment together with a couple of girlfriends from college. She continued the party lifestyle and she felt everything in her life was working out; She had a good job, many friends, and was experiencing the freedom to do whatever she wanted.

Then it happened. It was a normal day and she had just gotten out of work. She was in her car on the way home when the voice of the Lord interrupted her thoughts with words that caused her eyes to well up with tears. He said: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness, I have drawn you,” Carolyn immediately sensed the Lord’s presence and recognized His words as Scripture. She realized that the Lord was drawing her in His love. He didn’t come with words of rebuke, but with a gentle voice that expressed His love for her and His desire for the fellowship with her that she had known those many years ago.

Carolyn quit her job and moved back home. Her parents still pastored the church that she grew up in and she wanted their support as she renewed her relationship with the Lord. She had spent those years away in the world and the world had taken its toll on her with some habits she could not seem to overcome. She prayed and became faithful to church. She asked the Lord to forgive her for the things she had done, but there still were things in her life that she knew were wrong and displeasing to the Lord. She just could not get victory over them no matter what she did.

Carolyn did know enough to seek the Lord for the victory she wanted in her life. She cried out to the Lord daily seeking deliverance. One day as she was reading her Bible; it hit her. Jesus had won the victory at the Cross. He had said, “It is finished.” She realized the victory she sought in her personal life was already won by the Lord at Calvary. Her victory would come as she placed her faith in Christ and Him crucified. The Lord confirmed this to her with a verse from Romans.

“For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the Law of Sin and Death” (Romans 8:2).

Carolyn realized that she had been trying to gain victory in her own strength. The Lord showed her that faith in Him and His great work at Calvary would allow the Holy Spirit to work in her life and bring her the victory she so desired. Her heart’s desire was to serve the Lord, and although sinless perfection was not something promised to us in this life; she now knew the way to walk before the Lord in victory. Carolyn was back serving the Lord. His grace and lovingkindness had drawn her and she now fully understood what the Lord meant when He said “I will never leave nor forsake you.” She had been to the “far country,” away from the Lord, and the Lord had reached down in His Mercy and Grace and brought her home to Him.

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.

(Draw Me Nearer – Composed by Fanny Crosby)

Always Remember,

God Loves You!

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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2023