Have you ever had a heavy spirit and you just don’t know why? All seems well enough, but something just feels off.
That’s how I felt much of this week. Off, without being able to place my hand on what was wrong.
When my church day came, I had in mind that I wanted to go visiting, and so my feet took me to my church away from church. Similar to my home away from home: It’s the place I feel most comfortable when I’m not in my own sanctuary. Being a part of a wider family of churches, allows me the opportunity to visit many other churches if I choose.
I sat in the lesson study and listened, not needing to be an active participant or to teach, as I’m usually a co-teacher. Enough time to just listen, and be still. The teacher had so much energy and excitement. I just kept smiling at her enthusiasm for what she was saying.
When the mid day service started, my spirit was still heavy. I even went up for the prayer, asking God to lift my spirits.
Shortly after, my friend, who I didn’t even know would be at that church, came and sang. She sang a relatively well known song ‘Made a Way’ by Travis Greene. It’s a beautiful reminder of how God can make a way in the midst of everything. The heaviness started to ease.
I sat next to a lady who didn’t mind that my daughter was making a fuss through most of the service. She just kept smiling and said it was fine. We even joked about switching our kids. Then after, we each had the opportunity to share more about each other. I usually run out after church – but we sat and talked because of her very positive demeanor and we both discovered that it was not by coincidence that we sat next to each other.
By the time I left church, I was in much better spirits than I had walked in.
Friends, let us be kind to one another. There are many people we meet in our daily lives and activities and we don’t know what they are facing. One kind word or a smile can change a person’s entire mindset.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for leading us, even when we don’t understand. Thank you for a church family who can uplift us when we don’t even know why we are feeling the way we are. Help us to be kind hearted with an easy smile and a kind word to all we encounter.