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 A collective reflection on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love Tuesday, December 17, 2024 |
Experiencing God Isaiah 12:2-6, James 1:2-4 As I turned to the last entry of my life’s chapter, I read… I understand stress well. I’ve battled it my whole life. Through counselors, prayer, and Bible plans, I’ve persevered. Today, I can detect stress early and know how to adjust and overcome it. This last event was different. The familiar stress signs I experienced made me think, “Here we go again; I know what to do.” But nothing worked. As the event outcome approached, my stress rose. I paced, locked myself in my room, and buried myself in bed. I woke up during the night, recognizing I wasn’t ready to face what Jesus had in store. I needed more time, so I went back to sleep. The next morning, I woke early, still not ready. Eventually, I got up, and thought, “Okay, let’s rip this bandaid off and see what Jesus has waiting.” I whispered to my husband, “It happened. What we hoped for happened.” He silently raised his fist in celebration, and we started our morning in disbelief, joy, and hope for the future. Throughout that day and the days following, I was on cloud nine. If a mountaintop were nearby, I would’ve shouted, “Look at what God did! He did this; there’s no other explanation!” My family said, “Mom, seriously, why were you so stressed? We would’ve been okay no matter the outcome.” I quickly realized how monumental this event was to me and blurted out, “I’m not sure if this was stress. My faith would have been absolutely shaken if the outcome had been different.” And as I reflect on this, I know two things to be the truth: 1. My faith was tested and refined. This event was about my faith, which is my identity. Who I am is interwoven with Christ, and my life is built on him. I realized that as the world attempts to bring him down, I feel it now, too. That’s significant. 2. I felt Christ move – today, in this modern world! Witnessing this firsthand was incredible. This was a big, undeniable event. Christ is among us working today! I now understand the adrenaline and excitement of those in the Bible who experienced God firsthand. Incredible. By Marnie K. Vasquez PRAYER FOR TODAY Dear Jesus, thank you for your constant love and work in our lives. Open our eyes to see and feel your greatness around us. Help strengthen our endurance and find joy amid life. As we move through Advent, help us grow closer to you. |
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