praise from the mouth of a backslider

It has been more than two weeks (16 days, to be exact) since my last update. And to my visitors' disappointment (and mine too), they've been seeing nothing but an ancient post on a moth-eaten blog – and also, a picture of me wearing a sickeningly wide-mouthed smile, which I've been wanting to replace since last December.

I've been through so much these past days. I fell two Sundays ago, and I fell hard. My sin ravaged my soul to pieces, and kept me from my daily meditations on His Word. Until now, I'm still reeling from the after-effects of toying with the enemy's fiery darts. "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (Rom 7:19)

While His sheep grazed in the verdant pastures where the Sheperd led them, I chose to wander into a barren wasteland. The cataracts of my sin blocked my eyes, and I lost sight of Him. And instead of seeking what is infinitely desirable, I settled for what is empty. And ephemeral. But, by "the richness of His kindness and forbeareance," (Rom 2:4) He did not let me go that easily. How painful, but so very precious, is His chastisement!