Yesterday at work, probably against proper political protocol, I wished people a Happy Easter weekend.
It surprised me how many did not respond back. Maybe they are like I was…not knowing God loved them or uncertain if there even was a God.
Up until college, I didn’t really know there was a God. I was a quiet, shy person, introverted, didn’t like it, but didn’t know how to change. I was also afraid of dying…not knowing what would come next. My mother had had numerous cancer operations, all benign, but…it scared me that I would be next. And so, all my teen years, I lived in fear of cancer and death, unable to plan for a future, since I didn’t think there would be one for me.
At 19, in college, I had to find out about this ‘God-thing’. I had a dusty Bible on my book shelf, pulled it down, blew off the dust and opened to somewhere in the New Testament…John or Romans and read a verse saying Jesus was praying for me. I thought, ‘Why would He pray for me?’
In an instant – at that thought, I saw things in my life I was not proud of – while simultaneously feeling that Jesus loved me. All of a sudden I realized I wasn’t afraid of cancer or dying any more. If I died I’d go be safe with Jesus. I felt light and free after all those years living in fear.
Decades have passed, yet I am free, I know God loves me even if no one else does. There are struggles in life, but no one can tell me God doesn’t exist, or that He isn’t helping and guiding me every day… listening when I talk to Him.
That is a portion of my ‘yesterday’. Now I live a new ‘today’ every day…each morning a fresh clean start.
I’m so glad I left ‘yesterday’ and moved into a brand new today!
God gives hope.