TRUE Deliverance: Overcoming our Darkest Moments
by Rhonda Andall
Recently I met up with a friend to check in & during the discussion she shared her ugly truth. She explained that she is going through the motions during this pandemic & that in the process of going through, she is being confronted with the truth of who she has become. She shared that deep inside she feels worthless, insecure, damaged & unlovable. She stated that the pain of her past is haunting her & the possibilities of a good future seems far out of reach.
As she was sharing her story, I caught myself reflecting on my past and the pain I felt before I experienced True Deliverance of Christ.
Living in that deep dark world can be demoralizing and for so many of us, our darkness is clouded by false optimism, we are deceived into believing we are on the right path.
Like my friend, we portray the image of perfection, having it all together and being completely full of joy and at moments, whole and complete; but in reality, we are scared, lonely and don’t know which way to turn or who we can turn to.
For many years I lived trapped by the past with a deep longing for something different. Something I didn’t even know I needed … TRUE DELIVERANCE.
Have you ever wondered what it means to have TRUE DELIVERANCE?
Not just any deliverance, but the kind of deliverance that allows you to drop the façade and finally be who you were created to be.
My friend shared, and just like me, and other women, she is fearful of showing the world who she really is, she is terrified that the camouflaged version of herself that she has portrayed for many years would reveal her damaged identity.
How do we free ourselves of that pain, how do we discover the True Deliverance of Christ?
Jesus invites us to himself , He says “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)
True Deliverance can be experienced when Jesus calls us to unpack the load we are carrying, with a promise to give us peace. Peace from the pain, peace from the heaviness, peace for our beaten souls.
For many of us, stepping forward is often a challenge as it suggests we are in need of something. It exposes what we are trying to keep hidden and opens the doors for us to be seen by God and by others.
TRUE DELIVERANCE requires us to surrender our pain and our fear of being seen.
It means stepping blindly with humility into the presence of Jesus. It is OVERCOMING darkness.
Jesus calls to us, and boldly reminds us: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:9-11).
For my friend, what’s behind the gate is unknown and there is fear of the unknown. We can either take a risk with the known presence of God, or live in the unknown presence of self and continue to spiral into an abyss with our masks tightly fixed to our face.
For me, “I sought the lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).
Though life is not perfect, the freedom to be who I am created to be gives me a confidence that is unexplainable. I no longer feel compelled to settle for less than what I deserve. I allow the forgiveness of Christ to fill those once empty spaces and the shame I once felt. I choose deliverance. Ladies, release your fears of being seen and let the lord free you- True Deliverance is what He alone can provide.
Join me, in seeking the Lord, and let him rescue you.
Rhonda Andall is a mother and grandmother who really enjoys spending time with family and friends. At her home church Elevation GTA, she volunteers on the Outreach Team, and leads an eGroup where adults meet to reflect on weekly sermons, the bible etc. She is one of the Interns at Gather Women. Rhonda currently is a student at Ryerson University, in the Social Work program with a hope of becoming a licensed Psychotherapist in the near future. In the meantime, she is a part time faculty member at Humber College in the Child and Youth Worker Program. Rhonda enjoys the outdoors and reading but above all else, she enjoys serving through different community volunteer opportunities.