WEB NOVEL: SET APART

ABRIELLE

“Abrielle, I have switched my days off today because Uriah and I are going somewhere tonight,” Charity called. “Have you and Uriah talked about what happened?” I asked, curious. Charity explained that they had a serious argument and that Uriah was upset. 

“Abrielle, all I did was try to be understanding because what I did was offensive. I should never have cheated on Uriah and slept with another guy just because I felt lonely in our marriage, and he wasn’t meeting my needs as a husband,” Charity admitted. 

As she explained, my heart ached for Uriah. Charity has found a good man. No one is perfect, and if Uriah lacks something in their relationship, she should be more open and understanding with him.

This realization weighed heavily on my mind during our conversation. However, I don’t judge my best friend for her actions; I understand she has reasons for doing what she does. I hope and pray that it won’t happen again. “My husband has a heart of gold, Abrielle. God has given me a profound understanding of the Bible verse, 1 Corinthians 13:5, which says, ‘Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.’ I realized I was self-seeking and dishonoring Uriah, but my husband forgave me and didn’t hold my mistake against me. He urged me to forget about it and let it serve as a lesson for us. Although it pains him deeply, I know there are times when he struggles to look at me because of the embarrassment and hurt I caused. Yet, he remains welcoming and supportive. God has blessed me with a good husband and a godly one. Sadly, I took that for granted because my actions blinded me.”

Charity bowed her head in dismay. I explained to her the extraordinary character of Jesus: no matter how wrong we have been, He remains unchanged in His love and acceptance. In Jesus, people hated Him for speaking the truth and following God’s will, but His response was life-changing. He knew when to talk about the truth gracefully and when to walk away.

1 Peter 2:21-23 teaches us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. He left behind a remarkable character for us to meditate on and copy. He didn’t commit any sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth; he was still ridiculed, judged, insulted, and mistreated, even to the point of death. How did Jesus respond to these insults? He did not retaliate. When He suffered and faced threats, He refused to seek revenge. Instead, He discerned situations with fairness and wisdom.

This aspect of Jesus’ character can be challenging to copy, but God calls us to follow His example.

I paused momentarily as there was a short, quiet lull on the phone line. “Yes, Abrielle, I agree with everything you’ve said. God is so gracious; He has given me a new beginning to make things right for my husband.” Charity was deep in thought on the other end. I told her I needed to hang up because I had to go to the bookstore and the library to pick up the book I wanted to read and return the one I had just finished. After ending the call, I drove to the bookstore, my mind occupied with thoughts. 

I remembered it was Saturday and that tonight, Eun-Yeong would be meeting up with her friends and some mutual friends of Jeremiah. Of course, Jeremiah would be there too. I don’t usually go to lounges or clubs since I don’t drink; I prefer cafes, coffee shops, and bubble tea places. After I visited the areas I needed to go to, I headed home. I couldn’t help but glance at my watch.

It’s already 6 PM, and time flies. Should I text Eun-Yeong to ask if she can talk to Jeremiah? I decided to wait until 9 PM to message her. While sitting at my study table in my room, I was reading another book I picked up at the bookstore, when I suddenly remembered to check my Fruit app.

It’s been a while since I checked this app, and I’ve received some likes and messages. One message was from a random unknown user who sent me a reel. I also got a message from Jesusiscool15, who sent me another reel, and another from GhostYusukeUrameshi07, who replied to my last message about online Bible study. 

The Lord encouraged me to do a live Bible study on the Fruit app sometime this week. I prayed to God and closed my eyes, asking Him for a sign that I should pursue online Bible study. I have a couple of concerns: 

a.) If I host online Bible studies, will people participate? I would be happy with even just one person willing to listen. 

b.) What would I do if they asked something to which I don’t know the answer? Honestly, I would tell them straight up if I don’t know the answer. I can always follow up with them later if I find the answer. 

A light bulb went off in my mind. Yes! I’ll do online Bible study! It’s a great way to share the gospel online.

I replied to the username of the person who asked me about online Bible study, letting them know that I was interested but needed to arrange my schedule to finalize a time and date. I felt excitement in my heart—I never realized how eager I was to participate.

Suddenly, my phone chimed with a notification. It was Eun-yeong messaging me: “Hey Abrielle! I’ll be at the Cornelius Lounge at 8:30 PM. I’m getting there early because I need to check my reservations for 9:30 PM with my friends, and I want to try that new samgyeopsal restaurant near the lounge.” 

That sounded great! I didn’t need to ask Eun-yeong about her plans for the evening; I felt shy about bringing it up since I didn’t want her to think I was anticipating her conversation with Jeremiah. Honestly, I was, but I preferred to keep that to myself. I responded, letting her know it was okay and that I’d be available on my phone if she wanted to text me. 

After I sent my reply, I yawned. Oh no, I was starting to doze off! It felt odd to be so tired when I hadn’t done much today. It could be all my overthinking since Eun-Yeong filled me in on today’s events. I lay down in bed and continued reading my book.

After three hours, Eun-yeong texted me that she still hadn’t seen Jeremiah, but all his friends were already there. I replied with an “okay” and mentioned that I might sleep soon since it was getting late and my dad and I were attending church tomorrow. I waited another thirty minutes to see if Eun-yeong would text me again, but my phone remained silent, like a baby sleeping. I turned off the lights, said my prayers, and tried to fall asleep.

As I closed my eyes, I wondered if I was wasting too much time trying to be friends with Jeremiah. I don’t want him to think that I like him. If we talked more in person, I wouldn’t mind being friends, but we barely see or talk to each other. In my wandering thoughts, I asked God if He would allow Jeremiah and me to be friends and if that was part of His plan. I paused momentarily and let the cool breeze from the open window flow inside. It felt soothing and comforting. Soon, I drifted off to sleep.