Deacon Bill's Blog

True happiness, joy and peace are not dependent on the circumstances of our lives. When we choose to let go of the anxieties we feel, and place our hope and trust in the Lord, he will guard our hearts, and direct our thoughts and our passions away from those external things we have been reliant on, and bring the contentment and hopefulness that are the hallmarks of the Christian life.

We can’t always control our situation or circumstances completely, but we can always make the decision to be like Jesus. Jesus submitted himself to the cross. He submitted himself to the Roman government. He submitted himself to torture. He submitted himself to all of these things yet he remained free of bitterness. He remained free of resentment, all the way to the point where he could freely say from the cross, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” He didn’t change his circumstances but he had agency which he demonstrated by not allowing his suffering to callous his heart.

God does command a blessing when we come together in unity. He rewards our collective efforts to 1) build each other up, to 2) value every person, and 3) to keep what’s important, Christ’s mission at the center.