John 20:19-22 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus
came and provided peace and joy to His devastated disciples! He not only
physically appeared, but did so miraculously! He also graciously showed them
the proof of His death. Then, He commissioned and empowered them to continue
the difficult work He had started.
Jesus
came and gave me peace after devastation and before facing additional
difficulties, too. The evening I found out I was going to miscarry (after 13 weeks
of pregnancy) I was devastated. When I woke up in the middle of the night with
contractions 2 minutes apart, God had me eventually get out of bed and go to
the bathroom. My water broke on the toilet and then everything happened. As
devastated as I was, I felt like God was holding my hand during the whole
thing, starting with the fact that He had my water break not only at home, but
on the toilet! I had peace knowing He was there. His peace brought
encouragement as I faced the physically and emotionally painful hours, weeks,
months and years that followed.
How
have you witnessed God bringing peace and joy after devastation? What
encouragement and strength did it give you to persevere through the next
difficult challenge?
Alice
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