The Sorrow of a Stumbling Block

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I wasn't always a believer. I wasn't always thirsty for the Word and hungry for His wisdom. For many years I was an atheist in pursuit of validation. I sought earthly wisdom, and egotistically preached against the faith of others. I thought my own understanding to be greater, and felt sure that I was saving people from the ignorant oppression of religion. I declared the church a fraud, and denied God and His will. I was proudly lost with no desire to be found, and I am forever ashamed of the result. While many, I'm sure, were more annoyed than affected by my rantings and ramblings, I know of several, and I'm sure more, who fully stumbled at the blasting of my self-righteous trumpet. 

 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 
  Proverbs 12:26 (ESV)
 
Since turning away from that life, I have done more than my share of soul searching, begging forgiveness for my misdeeds and working to right my heart and mind in pursuit of His truth and wisdom. The journey is never done, not until I see His face in glorious perfection. I stand firm in the gospel of salvation, and I know my place will be in His presence when I am no longer in the presence of this world, but while still here on this earth, my aim is to undo where possible the damage my unrighteous self caused. 

I cannot lead to Salvation. I do not have that power.

 I can only point in His direction and let Him work His work on the hearts of the lost. I can also ask forgiveness from those who I pointed in the opposite direction. Some, I have watched fall further from grace chasing the rabbit I set loose before them. Others, I simply allowed to wander off the path without reaching out to stop them. We can only control our own actions. We can only make our own choices. But to be a stumbling block is thing of despair. I can't change what I did in the past, but I can pick myself up from the way, and trip no others. And most importantly, I can ask forgiveness of those who fell over my ego. 

To anyone who might read this, whose hand I joyfully held and walked down the path of destruction: I am eternally sorry. I pray I might have the joy now of taking your hand again and walking together down the straight and narrow. It's never too late to turn around. God is always there waiting with open arms. Jesus has the strength to carry the greatest of burdens. Please hand it over to Him, and join me in His eternal light. 

 God Bless all my neighbors in the valley.

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