A hard day, yes.  Rattled and unglued, yes.  Unable to cope, no.

How does the life-giving Spirit of the risen Lord manifest Himself on days like that?   In our willingness to stand fast, our refusal to run away and escape into self-destructive behavior.  Resurrection power enables us to engage in the savage confrontation with untamed emotions, to accept the pain, receive it, take it on board, however acute it may be.  And in the process we discover that we are not alone, that we can stand fast in the awareness of present risenness and so become fuller, deeper, richer disciples.  We know ourselves to be more than we previously imagined.  In the process we not only endure but are forced to expand the boundaries of who we think we really are.

Hope knows that if great trials are avoided great deeds remain undone and the possibility of growth into greatness of soul is aborted.  Pessimism and defeatism are never the fruit of the life-giving Spirit but rather reveal our unawareness of present risenness.

– Brennan Manning

 

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

– Colossians 3:1 (NLT)

 

God wanted His people throughout the world to know the glorious riches of this mystery—which is Christ living in you, giving you the hope of glory.

– Colossians 1:27 (GW)

 

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called—His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him…

– Ephesians 1:18,19 (NLT)

 

I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.

– Matthew 28:20 (AMP)

 

Photo by Susie Stewart