Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
Yesterday after the Jeans and Jazz service many who filed out the door shook my hand and said, “I enjoyed your message.” That seems to be a common response. Pastors often wonder if they really did or are just offering empty platitudes. As I walked up front to collect my things our Jazz drummer’s girlfriend approached me. She also said, “I really enjoyed your sermon.” Then she said, “Here’s what I got out of it.” I love to hear those words!
I had talked about God wanting us to know that all our concerns were important, that God really did understand and could relate to our sense of powerlessness over things that sometime face us. I said that we can’t make ourselves well, we can’t make our loved ones well, we can’t make someone love us or hire us or treat us fairly. We have no control sometimes over events, only our reaction to them. The young woman said that she was really trying to work on controlling her reactions to circumstances. I thought a moment and shared that as I have become closer to God, my natural reactions to trying circumstances have changed. I am more at peace and feel the help of the Holy Spirit when I face challenges. I can’t always expect God to solve my problems, but I do trust him to love me through them.
Thank you Lord, for being with us when we cannot change our circumstances. Please continue to uplift and comfort and guide us in all things. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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