Pain to Power



Our recent confirmation classes came to an end yesterday. We used the program “Confirm Not Conform” by adapting it to our needs.  Our last class was on Spirituality which focused on the Episcopal worship liturgy. The title of this lesson was called Pain to Power! Our text was Isaiah 53, the Suffering Servant. As we moved through the liturgy, it was easy to see how God through his son, Jesus, can turn our pain and sorrows into power to transform our world. Not once did Jesus avoid the pain he was to suffer for us. He faced it head on and used that energy to transform not only himself through the resurrection, but he empowered us through God’s Spirit to be transformed, changed, into a new creation. When you and I face our own pain and sufferings with God by our sides, we open our hearts to allow God’s Spirit to bring healing to our lives and, in doing so, we have the power to heal the world.

God Breaking Through in Our Lives

How many times do we look at our phone to see who is calling us? If a number is unfamiliar, we sometimes if not all the time, do not answer it. I must admit occasionally I do that myself. The other night at 9:30 p.m. an unfamiliar number appeared on my phone. I let it ring a few times then something said answer it. I did and the result of that phone call was a person whom I met maybe twice talked for a good hour about how she needed to find God to give her strength in her life. Much was happening in her life that she was finding hard to handle. She heard from someone about St. Barnabas, and that I attend the church. During this phone conversation, I did the listening as she told me what had happened in her life for the past 5 years. She does not think that God is in her life. I replied, "If He wasn't in your life then why did you call me?" The end of the conversation left her saying that she was so thankful to me for taking the time to listen. I said it wasn't just me listening, but also God- the one who gave you the strength and courage to make that call.

God is amazing in all His works. I wonder how He finds the time for all of us? So next time an unfamiliar number appears on your phone, answer it..
                                                                                                                   L.Lee