Breakthrough

The Lord blessed me with an opportunity to serve overseas on a mission’s trip. Not only was this my first time out of the country, but this also makes me the first generation to travel overseas. The Lord faithfully picked me up from despair and set me down in the hope within Honduras.

The mission for this trip was to bring clean water to a community which was a path of introducing or encouraging the community to Jesus Christ, the true living water. Drilling a well in the community would provide clean water to the residents for washing dishes/clothes, cooking, drinking, and bathing. The community was filled with love and service. Part of the beauty of serving the Lord is that it is rarely ever a one-way street; you generally learn something as well. During our time there, the women cooked for us and provided coffee, then extended their hospitality by welcoming us into their homes and leading us on a tour of the entire community. The men offered their hands and labor to assist with the well. I served on the trip by interacting with the children and women; teaching them how to maintain hygiene and health with the help of the new water source. At the end of every lesson, we incorporated a different bible story that could tie into the lesson. Just another way the Lord was preparing me for the new job that was waiting upon my return to the states.

Just as the drillers were making a breakthrough with the water, as was the Lord with me. On the fourth day there, three days from leaving, I awoke and felt a shift in my spirit. I prayed for revelation and the Lord responded, “I want you to tell your mom.” The confession was referring to a sin recently committed that I was running from and sharing it with my mom would be not only holding myself accountable to her thus the family but also placed me at risk of losing her trust.

The entire morning, I was in a warfare as to whether I should obey or give into my own flesh and keep it quiet, suppress this secret for as long as possible. Then I heard the Lord say boldly, “You really didn’t expect to leave without a breakthrough, did you?” Throughout the morning, I would find myself having to break away from the crowd to cry and pray. I was terrified of losing her trust in me. What if she thought of me differently? What if she can’t even look me in the eye when I get back?  The Lord spoke, “Trust Me. I will carry you through this.” At one point as I was crying, one of the organization’s staff came over to me and prayed for me; this gave me strength to text my mom the confession. She didn’t reply for the remainder of that day, causing me to be in prayer even more fervently.

In the morning, still no reply. I messaged her and asked for forgiveness again. She replied, “I already have.” She even gave me some advice about moving forward. I thanked her for her love, mercy, forgiveness and grace; then I continued the remainder of my trip, yoke lifted.

I thought I was familiar with God’s grace, but my eyes were opened to a much more practical grace that goes beyond the Cross. A grace that is in result of the Cross that still meets us at the well over 2000 years later.  Now it is three months later, I have a new job and a new outlook on grace. I am held by a grace that is firm and unyielding. My mom and I saw each other, hugged and have since moved on. Does she trust me less? Maybe, but her love doesn’t show it. The Lord’s grace was unleashed to me through Jesus and met me here through my mom. I know what grace looks like and I pray to extend it to others. Grace is humbling. Grace is Love. Grace is the answer to forgiveness.

I encourage you all to practice grace in forgiving. Grace is the key to unlocking the chains of bitterness and resentment that takes root after pain and betrayal. The weeds of bitterness, guilt, and resentment in our hearts can hinder breakthrough from appearing. The times we have betrayed God, He still offers forgiveness because of His grace. No more does He have to forgive us for wronging Him than we must forgive others for hurting us, yet He chooses to, as should we. If you do not know how to show it or don’t feel it in yourself to do so, ask Him to transform your heart to extend grace. Allow Him to drill through the hard soil of your heart and lay the foundation of the grace needed. We extend grace because it is never ours, it does not originate from within ourselves, it always comes from the overflow of His grace unto us.

Make room for breakthrough and let clean water spring forth!

Note from Me: This blog was written while burning the calming and soothing candle named Breakthrough. Created by Danielle Martinez. Stimulate your own breakthrough and check out her page:

Instagram: @oil_and_lamp