Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying, See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, to root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant. // Jeremiah 1:9-10
I have always loved the song “Be Not Afraid” which includes a line about Jesus going before us. Whenever I sang it, I would get an image of Jesus walking in front of me, as I went about my day. When I felt scared, or needed strength, Jesus was a warrior with a machete, cutting down all bad things in my path.
Not too long ago, I had something mildly traumatic happen, a situation involving me and someone I love that did not go at all how I wanted. Things that were out of my control caused agitation, and I was helpless to change anything.
I was talking through the situation with my husband, and he pointed out that this was a good opportunity to grow in humility. He said it in a nice way, not like I was a loser for feeling uncomfortable, but more that it felt uncomfortable because God had something He wanted to do with me in the midst of it all.
I think we can all agree that humility is one of those virtues that is important and worthy to have but very painful to attain. In theory, growing in humility is the best. In the moment, growing in humility is the worst.
As I was praying about all of this, I thought of that song, about Jesus going before me to give me rest. And somehow Jesus showed me that by going before me, He didn’t walk in front of me. Going before me meant He was there, in this messy situation, before I had even arrived.
Jesus was there, and He knew my small suffering—and because He went before me, He could redeem it. Jesus could use this for my personal growth and healing and for His glory.
I suddenly felt a sense of freedom and joy. Even though things had been sticky and painful, Jesus could destroy and demolish the sin and suffering and build and plant virtue and goodness. He could do all this within me and within the situation.
God knows our suffering, and it is not for nothing. He can use our circumstances to draw us closer to Him—in the wonderful times and also the challenging ones.
He goes before us to transform us. Before we were even born, He dedicated us to Himself. How is He going before you today?
He goes before us. // Rachel BalducciClick to tweet
Rachel Balducci is a writer and speaker and co-host of the Gist on CatholicTV. She has a Masters degree from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia and teaches at Augusta University and is working on her doctorate in Religion at the University of Georgia. She and her husband Paul have five sons and one daughter and are part of an intentional Christian community in Augusta, Georgia. Find out more about her here.
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