May the Risen Lord grant you grace and peace in the Holy Spirit. It is on 19th May 2023. We reflect on Acts 18:9-18 and John 16:20-23.
Can Sorrow imprison hope, love and happiness?
The inside is more intriguing even when the outside is outrageous.
Every one has sufficient reasons to continue talking to and about God.
“Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you. No one will attack and harm you, for I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9).
The Lord encouraged St. Paul to continue being a witness of the love, mercy, and forgiveness of God even amidst the opposition and oppression. No one can imprison our hope, love, and happiness. Faith has the wings to fly high in prayer.
Whatever you do, do it out of love because people will not change their speed of throwing stones of hatred, abuse, and division.
We cannot seal the lips of others when they speak ill of us. They can drag us through and ditch us down. We need to be grateful to God for assuring us of God’s protection always.
God’s love is not for sale. It is for those who are willing to sacrifice and smell the suffering and pain without suppressing it. God loves us not because we will love God in return, but because God expects us to replicate what we have experienced with others.
Emotional pain brought by people cannot match minimize the emotional and spiritual empowerment we receive from God and Jesus. Reaction weakens the power while restraining and resuscitating inner energy to be joyful.
God is close to us when we are in pain. It is pain that blinds the love of God and closes the windows of hope in our hearts and homes. Meeting the Risen Lord brings joy and strengthens to face suffering, pain, and sorrow.
We all aspire to have pain-free persons and suffering-free selves. But in fact, we all have sorrow in our lives and hearts. Pain cannot reduce our worth and suffering cannot suppress our success in life. “So, you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (Jn.16:22).
Joy comes from the experience of personal encounters with the divine and especially with the Risen Lord. Sorrow and suffering do not have the power to drain the stamina of joy. Joy is the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us live our lives with what we have inside than what we can get from outside.
May you have a day of blessing and protection. God bless you.