Tiffini Oporto: Woman's Recovery

I came to learn about George MacDonald through a friend who I met in a Woman's Recovery Group at the Church I attend. My friend is an editor, and she said a gal who taught her editing class she took recently wrote an ebook on the Lord's Prayer in which she quotes MacDonald, and it really spoke to her. "When with all the loved around thee, 'I am lonely,' it is well; the truth hath found thee. Rest is with the Father only." When I read that quote I instantly knew the meaning. I have much love from friends and family around me, but because of my sin, imperfections, and frailties I feel detached emotionally, spiritually, psychologically at times. I feel alone in a world of selfish wants and needs that never get completely fulfilled or satisfied perfectly by loved ones. God had found me many years ago when I was lost, and I continually desire rest and peace in my Heavenly Father because all my strivings are vain without Him. It's a daily repentance of sin and faith and trust in the righteousness of Christ alone for my salvation.

I was so bewildered why I had never heard of MacDonald, and was instantly intrigued to learn more. Even though I have heard and studied many theologians for my seminary education, I had never heard of MacDonald so I began to wonder and investigate as to why. And so I researched further about him because my hungry mind and soul has an enormous appetite for deeper truth about the Lord.

I found MacDonald's quote, "In every man there is a loneliness, a chamber into which only God can enter." For me this quote is true because there is an emptiness in my soul, a longing I've tried to fill the void with many other things besides Christ. There is always a yearning that things of this world will satisfy the appetite of my soul, and nothing ever does. I always, every day, keep going back to Jesus Christ as the only One who satisfies my soul completely. And I believe God is the one who initiated the relationship with me.

I discovered that C.S. Lewis was greatly influenced by MacDonald. I found this quote which struck my interest in MacDonald. C.S. Lewis writes, "I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer or more continually close to the Spirit of Christ Himself." My heart's desire is to become closer to Christ himself through Scripture and the Spirit-filled writings of great Christian writers to know my Lord more fully, more deeply, and more intimately.

Tiffini Oporto