Iron Rose Sister Ministries

Written by Nilaurys García, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Canada

I once heard somebody mentioning that they noticed their friend had done a 360-degree turn in their life. My always curious and visual mind pictured the person doing a full lap around the track’s circle and getting back to the same spot, which seemed odd if they were trying to express that their friend had changed significantly. That’s when I learned that the saying “making a 180-degree turn in their life” means to go the completely opposite direction as they had previously gone.

Following the Christian life is also a 180-degree turn we make to obey and follow God’s commands. The prophet Ezekiel shows us instructions on what we should do to live. In Ezekiel 18:21-22 the Lord says:

But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. (NIV)

It is also true that repentance or “turning away from the wickedness we have committed” leads to change. Second Corinthians 7:10 says that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” I questioned why some people would have such a hard time leaving their past nature and habits when they decide to turn their lives to Jesus. It seems that the answer to that question is not as easy as one would expect. To consider all our offenses as we reflect upon the actions in our lives and the deeds we have done, we start reflecting on our own behavior and what does not match the life that the Lord has called us to live.

But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. (Eze 18:27-28)

Then it comes the next step: “Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die people of Israel?” (Eze 18:31). To get a new heart and a new spirit, means to change the way we see things, and start anew to renew our way of thinking. Going back to the initial picture of the 180-degree turn, we could say that now that we followed all the steps to get to the opposite place, we need to replace all that we left behind. The Lord also tells us what He is going to replace our old self with: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Eze 36:26). We have our answer!

What I love the most about reading these passages in Ezekiel is the question at the end of verse 18:31, “Why will you die, people of Israel?”. Why would we do what displeases the Lord, instead of what would bring us closer to Him? If we have heard His word and His commands, He has promised to give us new hearts and spirits. He is willing to forget all our offenses.
So, are we willing to truly repent and live according to His will? 

Written by Lisanka Martínez, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Venezuela

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1Jn 1:5-10 NIV)

Change from walking in the darkness to the light…

Sometimes when we are baptized and begin our lives as new creatures, we do not fully understand the meaning of this. Perhaps, for those who grew up in the faith with parents, grandparents, and others setting an example and guiding them from their early childhood, and with constant connection with the Church, it is easier to understand. Even when going through moments of doubt, confusion, and even rebellion, they know the difference between light and darkness.

But for those who, like me, grew up in a secular world, where moral or legal rules were sometimes broken with excuses such as, "It's just part of growing up" or, "I don’t know enough to have an opinion" that encouraged me to do what I knew was wrong, and those differences were harder to internalize.

Did I repent? I thought so, but I made those same mistakes again which was a sign that I was not aware of the nature of the darkness in which I remained.

After many years of visiting the Church of Christ, I decided to be baptized and follow Jesus. I confess that changing my life and going from darkness to His admirable light has been a long process that at times has been uphill. He showed me how deep in that darkness I was, not wanting to know what was abominable to the Lord, and believing, like most of the world, that my actions did not harm anyone, that I tried to respect others, and that I gave everyone their rightful place. That was my mistake until in the church, I started learning about what God expects of His children; that I must obey even when I do not understand, and that in those cases, I must be silent, obey, and pray for the Heavenly Father to give me understanding and to forgive, again, my ignorance.

During the pandemic, I began to notice how others radiated God's light by keeping connected and in communion even without being physically present. I thank God for each of those people who set an example and who, in turn, taught me to reflect God's light to others. I also thank the Heavenly Father that I was able to dedicate myself during all that time to learning more about Him, searching His word, praying, and praising as never before in my life.

Yes, I must confess that's when I noticed, with shame, that my past actions did harm others—especially my beloved oldest daughter, my mother, and myself. That darkness had consequences, but God's wonderful love showed me that fellowship with Him is the answer to everything—that staying in His ways cleanses us from sin, helps us resist temptations, and gives us the way out of every situation. It also allows us to lead by example that the change we have experienced in our lives is because of our obedience to His word.

I continue to sin, yes, but now I have the necessary weapons to face the darkness and the awareness that I must keep the light of Christ shining in my life and show it to those around me so that they also know the salvation and love I found in living in Christ.

Are you going to let yourself be overcome by the darkness, or fight and show the light that is in you?

What do you think you should do when you feel that light going off?

When you go through trials that seem to fill your life with darkness and extinguish the Light that shines in you, think about how the Light of the World came to give us freedom and to shine in the darkness. Stay in communion with Christ and His body, pray, and ask others to pray for you. May God bless you and always guide you into His wondrous light.