Sometimes the devil has a hold on people, and then a battle is ignited. Hannes (not his real name) tells this story. A story not for sensitive readers.

My wife and I have been married for 22 years. We’ve had problems from the start. In our eighth year of marriage, she wanted to leave me because I had developed feelings for someone else. Still, we decided to try again.

In the twelfth year of our marriage, she began an extramarital affair with a colleague. It was a very difficult time, but I prayed to God for a way out. She eventually ended the affair, and we started working on our marriage again.

A beautiful daughter, our fourth child, was born after that. But when our little girl was only a year and a half old, she started another affair, this time with a married man.

This led to a third world war in our house. She didn’t want to move out of the house, and I couldn’t just leave my children there. My work suffered under the stress, but by God’s grace, He blessed me at work.

She would go away on weekends and lie to the kids about where she was going, but in reality, she was with him. This relationship lasted for four years. Through it all, the Lord carried me and my kids.

There was a time when I also decided: if she keeps doing this, I will, too. I started talking a lot to another woman, but God stopped that situation before it went too far.

We were often in and out of court with interdicts. One night, she assaulted me in front of the children. I was covered in blood, and the police had to intervene at our house.

After years of prayer, things began to change. I changed. The Lord changed her, too.

We’re currently back together and trying again. The Lord worked on my wife’s heart and changed her. By God’s grace, things are a little easier today, even though it remains difficult. But nothing is impossible for God. Many times, I sit and think about how the Lord Jesus Christ changed me, that I was able to transform the hatred that was in me into love for my wife. Praise the Name of the Lord.

Wow, that’s hard to read. But as Hannes said: Where the Lord is involved, things are different. Where God works, people are turned upside down. They turn around and walk in the opposite direction, away from evil.

Even God’s children face struggles, but eventually, we come to recognise our mistakes. Then we apologise, and sincerely repent. Then we try again, and hopefully one day we too can write our own story and say: By the grace of God, we got through this.

¹⁸We know that none of the God-born makes a practice of sin—fatal sin. The God-born are also the God-protected. The Evil One can’t lay a hand on them.

Maybe you just need to go somewhere quiet, reflect, and make sure you’re still living within God’s will, and that you are not pursuing the wrong things.

Scripture
1 John 5:14-21

Reflection
What has a hold on you?
Are you walking in the right direction everywhere?
What should you do differently?

Prayer
Father, I ask forgiveness for not always living according to Your will. I want so much to do only what makes You happy. Please help me to get rid of everything that does not fit in with Your will. Amen.