An Awakening

I was commuting to work this morning when a sudden urge to pray overtook me. I began to pray for my son and my husband. Outside of growing my own relationship with God, I care deeply how each of them grow in Christ as well. My prayer was simple: Lord, reveal yourself to each of them, so they will draw closer to you. After I dwelled on that for a moment, I decided it wasn't selfish to request the same for myself. I asked God to reveal himself to me, as well.

I was driving through thick, rolling fog and as I looked up, I saw the fog slowly dissolving in the morning sun. A break in the white clouds revealed a calm, lush tree line topping a nearby hill. It was a beautiful contrast between the deep greens of the trees and the silvery white of the fog. God had answered my prayer.

You see, I went to work early today. I knew when I left work on Friday that Monday was going to be a long, hard day. I went about my morning routine preparing myself for mishaps and thwarted projects. Without realizing it, I was actually setting myself up to have a pessimistic day! But in a single moment, God gave me a scene of complete peace and tranquility in that hillside.

I began to smile as I looked forward to the day instead of dreading it. After all, it was only one day, and that one day put me that much closer to eternity with God. Every time my day took a sour turn, I pictured that tree line and the rolling fog. It kept me calm all day. (Its amazing how God works like that).

I found a verse that really put it into perspective for me. Romans 8:18 says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us." God has given us a light at the end of the tunnel. We, as Christians, are certain of greater, glorious times we will spend with God. We can take joy in that! The things of this life are trivial in the scope of things. It is hard to remember that in the middle of a major earthly trial, but when we focus on God, he will remind us of that when we need it.

Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to me. Thank you for always knowing my needs even before I do. Give me the knowledge to reveal you to others, Lord, so that my life, through you, an serve a greater cause. Lord, being at peace today made a world of difference in my joy and my mentality. I want that for others. Thank you for that hope and grace that lead to everlasting peace and life. Amen.

A Revelation

I always find myself amazed at the works God does in my life. I recently had to face a very difficult part of my past that is hard for me to deal with. I have fought forgiveness and it has stalled me from moving on with my own life in some capacity. After some wise guidance from some dear friends, I've turned once again to God's word for some answers. And that, of course, is where I find myself amazed.

As a young adult, I still sometimes pride myself on being a know-it-all. (Take a moment to look at the key words in that sentence that immediately prove my downfall: pride and know-it-all). While I freely accept that God is all-knowing and can make anything possible, it is like I learned that for the first time last night when I read a passage out of Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:17-21 says, "¹⁷So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. ²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

I want to hit on some key points in that passage that led to my "revelation." First, when I chose to commit my life to Christ, I was enveloped in a love that I can't possibly comprehend or understand, but it is there all the less. This love serves multiple purposes, but some are to fill voids that life leaves, give us the capacity to love others and to share that love unconditionally ourselves. When we utilize this love, it gives us that fullness (which, again, rids us of voids or disappointments because God never disappoints). Now sometimes it is easy to say someone is unlovable or doesn't deserve the time of day, much less forgiveness, mercy, etc. This is where the ability comes into play. When we say we can't love or forgive (or bear the other spiritual fruits) God can. By realizing we need God's help to do these things, we turn to him and he gives us that ability. In an odd sense, it is almost like realizing and admitting our own faults and shortcomings (as we are only human) before we can see to get past the faults and shortcomings of others.

I am sure there are a thousand messages you can take away from this passage, as it is so filled with God, but on this particular night, this is what I needed to know, so this is what God revealed. Thank God that He always knows what I need, even before I ask. And while this didn't solve my issue that I'm faced with, it has given me a great boost to getting where I need to be.

Lord, thank you SO MUCH for always giving me the guidance I need through your word and my brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers in Christ. Each is a blessing I don't deserve, but I'll take them any day of the week. I know I don't always make the right choices, but I know I can always find my way back to the right path through you. Thank you, God, for giving me a second chance through your son and teaching me how to give second chances as well. Amen.