Struggling with Coveting and Lust: A Sanctification Story
Below is a story from one of our counselees. May this story stir you to love and good works.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR LIFE OR STRUGGLE BEFORE GOD BEGAN WORKING IN THIS AREA:
I struggled with coveting and lusting for what wasn’t mine to have, as I was married for a long time and very involved with my church. I was a precept Bible study leader and a certified ACBC counselor, Awana leader, etc. After 24 years of marriage, I wanted someone else from another country, and I left my family to pursue him. I believed Satanʼs lies that I would be happier being with this other man who was also a Christian. Oh, the irony! We were together for 4 1/2 years and married for 8 months before he had a mental breakdown and wanted a divorce. I was devastated and lost as I gave up EVERYTHING to be with him, so when I was at my lowest, my 3rd husband came into my life. Same culture as my 2nd husband; only he was in America already, so again I sinned, and he ended up moving in with me and marrying me the following year, but he cheated the whole time, and I kept forgiving him, but I was losing myself and my mind and my family and friends.
WHAT DID GOD USE TO BEGIN CHANGING YOU?
God used this 3rd marriage to truly bring me back to Him. The pain, anxiety, fear, and trauma this man put me through brought me to my knees, and I knew the power of Biblical counseling as I used to witness it in the women I counseled. So I found Pastor David through the ACBC website, and he was willing to do Zoom meetings with me and his lovely wife, Caryn, which I loved, and I loved her input as well. So I started attending the church my 19-year-old son, at the time, went to, and he was getting baptized that summer, and I was so proud of him, but my heart broke with his testimony of his parents divorcing and him contemplating suicide, and I broke, and I knew I had to change and get back to the godly woman and mom God wanted me to be, so I got involved in that church and became a member and joined a connection group and started volunteering and started studying the Bible again and praying, really praying, and God was moving in my heart and life and brought me back to Him as His prodigal daughter.
HOW HAS GOD BEEN TRANSFORMING YOU IN THIS AREA?
God has given me the grace to forgive my soon-to-be ex-husband and pray for his salvation daily, as he’s so lost and walks in darkness. God has taught me to be grateful in this season of brokenness, and I see His hand in EVERYTHING, even though my finances were depleted due to my husband never helping with bills, so my IRA was drained, but God has indeed supplied my daily bread, and I was able to pay all my bills by working very hard and people tipping me more than usual, so I know it’s God who has indeed provided, and it makes my faith grow stronger.
WHAT SCRIPTURE BEST CAPTURES YOUR JOURNEY?
Matthew 6:25-34, Romans 12:14-21
WHERE ARE YOU STILL TRUSTING GOD TO GROW YOU?
Continue to forgive even when I feel hurt. Help me find a place to live that’s cheaper; be a light and example to everyone who knows me and has seen me when I was walking with God, my fall, and my return to the Father, to keep trusting that God will take care of me even in this divorce and that God will provide and protect me.