This is Jess Seaborn’s story of Suffering and Sanctification
Jesus found me hurting. I was overwhelmed by years of dreams unmet, hardened to what was by clinging to what “should” have been. I was so very tired of striving and coming up dry; of fighting this feeling that somehow God had left me to figure it out on my own. Lonely. Deeply desirous for meaningful community that could breathe life into what was starting to feel like what was just always going to be. I had lost sight of Jesus.
We just recently started visiting Grace. I think it was week two and I sensed the Lord speaking to me, drawing me in as if this was a place to heal. Then Pastor Ryan returns to the stage after a time of singing to pray and he shares that a member on his prayer team felt like she heard a woman audibly weeping in the room. Teary I thought, was that me? Surely not. Despite the depth of my feelings surely my pain wasn’t severe enough to warrant that type of response from Jesus. So I pushed it aside. And that gentle voice of Jesus just kept nudging.
Fast forward a few more days and here I am sitting at the start of redemption groups somewhat disillusioned by how I found myself here (except for Jesus) and I met this girl and almost immediately the Spirit confirmed she was that prayer team member and this wasn’t by accident. He was leading and He had a purpose.
Even now as I reflect back on that moment (and really all the ways Jesus has met me since) I am so incredibly encouraged to see the Hand of God calling me intimately, renewing my belief that HE is alive and moving, that His ways are life and His voice is one of the sweetest sounds.
Grace Church has proven to be such a deeply rooted community of believers that desire to make His name known and I’m so grateful to be here responding to the voice of God — together.
Other stories of God’s work: