For the time I have left, I refuse to live in defeat

Aug 07, 2022 News

My Testimony

By Sharmain Grainger

Kaieteur News – Have you noticed how fast time is running out these days? Have you also noticed the various developments, some especially disturbing, that are manifesting across our world today? Some people call it the signs of the times.

As we all know, there is a time for everything and without doubt, as time passes, our very existence is inevitably drawing to an end.

According to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “¹There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: ²a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, ³a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,⁴a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, ⁵a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, ⁶a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, ⁷a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, ⁸a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

At which juncture do you find yourself today? As time scurries away, can you say with conviction that you have achieved all that you were placed on this earth to do?

Will you be in a position to say like Paul the Apostle at 2 Timothy 4:7: “⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”? when your allotment of days expires.Maybe some people can, but at the moment, I dare not embrace such a distinguished posture, for I am only now realising that I have wasted far too much time doing a whole lot of nonsense instead of availing myself to my heavenly father.

As someone who has been rescued after an abundance of transgressions – not because of anything good I did but merely because of God’s unconditional love – it is my place to tell whomever will listen, or in this case read, about the goodness of my redeemer – Jesus Christ who died for me (John 3:16).

However, some people desire logical explanations about the things of God. But if I told you I completely understand the intricacies of being saved by God’s grace, that would be an absolute lie. What I can tell you, however, is that something miraculous happened to me that has completely changed my outlook on life. This astounding development occurred at a time in my life when I was drowning in fear and insecurity (inwardly) but at the same time I appeared as though I was living my best life (outwardly).

I am so thankful that God sees the heart and knows those who are crying desperately for help while simultaneously giving an award-winning performance good enough to convince the world that all is well. Indeed, I was an actress of epic proportion up until I realised that with God, I am allowed to be vulnerable; I am allowed to bare my soul and ask for help to get through each moment of each day.

But it was only recently that I was able to reach this place of enlightenment. Although I, from a young age, had embraced the notion that there is a God, I didn’t quite have a hang of how to live a life pleasing in His sight. I would sometimes think I was getting it right and then before long I was right back at square one; being wayward rather than living an uplifting life.

My enlightenment came after reading one of the most interesting books I have ever come across. While the name may trigger some level of cynicism among some individuals, I assure those who are desperate to live a more meaningful life in Christ Jesus, this book – Prayers That Rout Demons And Break Curses by John Eckhardt – can offer you some tremendous help, like you have never seen. The audiobook version is available free of charge on YouTube if you use this link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6gPW9boSpU).

You will notice that it has been viewed millions of times and this suggests to me that many people are now aware, and are perhaps making full use of this God-inspired masterpiece.

After reading some specific sections of the book (and for those who wish to access it via YouTube there are detailed time stamps there) you will find that you will begin to get clarity about things that are obstructing your spiritual growth, and this will come with an eagerness to free yourself of their stranglehold. Individuals, gifts and even your own thoughts, among other things, can be hindrances and you must let them go in order to get a breakthrough. Needless to say, over the past few months I have been the ‘landlord from hell’ evicting any and everything with the slightest resemblance to a hindrance in my life.

Surprisingly, among the hindrances that I had was something as adorable as my pet dog. I had gotten the animal as a gift and loved it dearly, and couldn’t see myself parting with it under any circumstance. But then one day she transformed from her bubbly self into an enfeebled creature. After hoping for a while that some TLC would return her to her former self, I realised that medical intervention was probably the best move. Not only was medical help available for my ‘poochie’ but the service entailed someone picking up the dog from my home and returning her, in addition to funding the requisite treatment, if needed. This offer was too good to be true, I thought. But it was a real deal. I just had to say the word and the process would’ve started.

But for some reason I simply couldn’t take advantage of this next level service that was being offered to me. So, I decided to take the matter to my heavenly father in prayer. It wasn’t immediate, but I eventually got some clarity. This animal, by virtue of being a sentimental gift, was keeping me linked to a period of my past that has absolutely no place in my future. As such, it became clear to me that I had to rid myself of it. It was a hard but necessary decision for me to make but it has since helped me to rid myself of even more things that can no longer have a place in my life as I move into my God-defined destiny.

My life belongs to the true and living God and anyone or anything that attempts to hinder my task of glorifying His name through my testimony, or any other means, will certainly be evicted without hesitation.

Revelation 12:11: “¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

(If you have a comment or an enlightening experience to share, email me @ [email protected])