Recently, I reached out to my nephew who has been incarcerated for more than 6 years. Each time I include Scripture in my correspondence, always looking to see how he responds. As more and more time drags on, my mind can easily think the worst.

But once again, I was blessed by the response I received:

“Happy Valentines Day to you… I appreciate the Scripture. His love is limitless. I’m thankful for this opportunity in my life to see that love being manifest in the daily grace and mercy He’s shown me. I don’t always respond to certain situations in the proper way but His grace and mercy covers me in those instances from things getting out of hand. Jail is a very difficult place to live, but if you don’t get bitter, you can start to grow in wisdom on dealing with impossible people. Love and miss y’all very much. ttyl”

The key, most definitely, is not to become bitter. We will never gain all that God wants to give us; We will never experience all He wants to do in us; We will never perform all He wants to do through us – if we become bitter. A great role model from the Old Testament is Joseph. He is a beautiful example of a commitment to God’s eternal working despite resentful brothers’ mistreatment as well as the spiteful cruelty of Potiphar’s wife that lands him in a prison cell for years (Genesis 37 & 39).

Not long ago, I saw a poster on Facebook that read:

All My Role Models Went to Prison: Paul, Joseph, Daniel, Peter, John, and JESUS.

Those amazing role models went to prison for doing nothing wrong but only for declaring the message of God.

Even if we go to prison for something done wrong, forgiveness can be found and we can be used for the great work of pointing the world to the cure, to the reason for hope, to the light that brings joy and peace instead of bitterness. My nephew has been given that assignment!

Our dear Heavenly Father wants our lives to be expertly blended! And He is the only means by which we can become pure, fragrant offerings for His glory!

“The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever!”

Psalm 22:26, ESV

“And we know that for those who love God [ALL] things work together for good…he also predestined [us] to be conformed to the image of his Son…”

Romans 8:28-29

I love my nephew’s resolution: “if you don’t get bitter, you can start to grow in wisdom.” Obviously, God’s hand of conformity extends to every part of our existence, no matter our accommodations.  

If you are already praying for my nephew, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you have not but feel burdened to do so, please join in! Other stories concerning my nephew can be found here:

• Trials of Consequence

• Timely Correspondence from Prison

• My Nephew and The Line Up