Journeying to Grace

While catching up during a casual telephone call last week, a dear friend and I happened to trade personal stories of faith. Since the last time we spoke, we both were given these memorable but unexpected gifts – God’s obvious imprint on ordinary but precious moments in our lives. Her story strengthened my faith and spirit, and mine strengthened hers. In trusting faith, we believe that the Lord is present with us in every moment of every day, yet there’s something awakening, comforting, and stirring when we really feel it; when we are aware of His hand on us; when our hearts are filled and leap with renewed joy. The experience of this exchange with my friend was spiritually refreshing and revealed to me again how important it is to share our stories of faith. I shouldn’t have been so surprised because we know we are called to do this.  ‘…that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.’ (Rom 1:12)

When we are at church, retreats, or worship gatherings, we expect to be drawn in by these personal accounts of faith, and we are blessed by them. But when we offer a piece of our spiritual journey to one another, we keep the flames of each other’s faith and hope burning. I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. (Philemon 1:6). By sharing our stories faith, whether they are simple and quiet or intricate and boisterous, we are living, revealing, and proclaiming our faith.

Precious moments of God with us and our stories of faith are abundant, but at times, they may be more difficult to see or hear through the chaos and challenges in front of us. So let us prayerfully remember that our faith is alive. It needs to be nourished, and we are summoned to foster one another’s faith and hope with the spiritual strength of our witness. ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.’ (Col 3:16) How will we ‘sing’ our faith to one another?

Maybe this summer, when life’s pace is perhaps a little slower, let’s consider keeping just one of these verses in mind to encourage us to seek opportunities to share where the Lord has shown us His love, His comfort, or His presence. What a gift of spirit and love that will be to one another. ‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, but encouraging one another.’ (Heb 10:24-25)