We can learn from these minor characters in the Easter story not to limit how transforming our own encounters with Christ can be for us and for others.
Turning to God lifts us out of loneliness as it lifts our thinking out of darkness and despair to behold the ever-shining light of divine Love that is all around us.
I was learning to lean on God, divine Love, rather than my—or anyone else’s—preconceived view of how church should look or be. To vanquish self-righteousness. To be kind. To love as Jesus loved.
Love is ever active, so its rescuing, restoring activity is ongoing, unstoppable. It reaches, touches, comforts, every heart. It breaks through the deepest darkness.
As I reached out to God for the inspiration that would transform self-righteous judgment to a sense of the divinely righteous judgment, a surprising question came to thought: “Are you willing to be the fruit of the Spirit?”
My son and I talked about embracing the entire campus and community in our prayers, and that included praying about our view of the alleged gunman. But why include this in one’s prayers when someone has done such a terrible thing, and in a location that put a loved one at risk?
I have learned to look daily for the ways in which God brings together the abilities that He has given to me and to others and puts them to use for His holy purpose.
I started to understand that God is always protecting me whether I am awake or asleep, so the pictures of the incident couldn’t harm me or make me feel scared.
Struggling with a college decision? This author was … until her prayers lifted her out of the stress and opened up a new perspective on decision-making.