Journeying to Grace

Though it wasn’t urgent, I had been thinking about requesting an update on some specific administrative information which I hadn’t thought about in a very, very long time, but I wasn’t looking forward to the process. The thought of coming up with another username and password to establish an ‘account’ decreased my enthusiasm, so I got as far as adding this task to my spring/summer to-do list. The very next day, I received the updated information in the mail. When I saw the envelope, I stopped in disbelief. I hadn’t given this any thought until the day before, and here it is?! How did that happen? I have a dear friend who would call this a ‘God-cidence.’ The thought of that made me smile and say thank you. This small coincidental occurrence did feel a little ‘different’ in my spirit, so maybe there was something to it. I appreciated this fortunate event, but experiencing additional occurrences like that? That’s more than coincidence. When we suddenly pause because our spirits are unexpectedly moved and renewed, that’s the Father’s love, often when we need it most.

I was just blessed to be given an experience of renewal like this, right when I needed it most. I felt the Lord in many small but encouraging incidents/moments/coincidences. Though independent from each other, they collectively proclaimed to my sometimes-doubting heart that the Lord has been listening to my prayers, my cries, and my hopes. ‘Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice; have mercy also upon me, and answer me.’ (Psalm 27:7) I don’t understand why these encounters came about in such a short time, but I do know they were of God because they felt different. They felt extraordinary and moved me within – where the Lord works. Together they opened my spiritual eyes to His steadfast presence, renewed my hope, and strengthened my spiritual energy. Experiencing these ‘God-cidences’ did not answer my questions, did not solve my problems, and did not fix what is broken. But it did reveal the nearness of God and confirmed my path of faith and prayer. The peace that can sometimes feel too distant also began to stir in soothing grace.

I share this to encourage us to welcome these unexpected gifts and extraordinary instances of grace that come while we are doing ordinary things, while we’re ‘not looking.’ They get our attention and move our spirit because God is in these moments of coincidence or chance, and, especially when we need it most, His grace gently and lovingly reaches for us to turn to Him in hope.  Let us pray that in these extraordinary moments of spirit that cause us to pause and pay attention, we recognize the Lord’s gentle whisper, which reminds us He is near.