Transcending Experience

Some of the rides at Disneyland and Epcot Center in Florida were breathtaking experiences.  They exceeded my expectations for having fun with my family, and our time together was truly awesome.  Think about the most exciting event you’ve experienced and remember that rush as you continue reading.

Job-related issues and the everyday challenges of life are not always easy to handle.  It’s good to get away now and then to rest and refuel, but that relaxed feeling often fades once we return to the daily grind.  The hustle and bustle of life can become stressful, especially with unexpected illnesses, the passing of loved ones, and many other hardships.

Yet I have found that I can cast my cares upon the Lord, trusting Him to help me through difficult times and refresh my mind, soul, and spirit.  As it says in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

Years ago, I went through a very traumatic experience when I lost my mother to cancer.  She was only fifty-eight years old.  After her passing, the Holy Spirit gave me the stability I needed.  The peace of God soothed my emotions and allowed me to think clearly.

I wasn’t “holier than thou” during that time—I was a new Christian, and I was angry.  I have to admit, I was angry with God for taking her from me and my family at such a young age.  I couldn’t understand why, especially since she had so much love to give, particularly to my firstborn son, who was not yet a year old.

But as I reached out to God, asking Him to help me through my grief, the Holy Spirit—our Comforter—began to ease my pain.  I found peace in knowing that she is in heaven and no longer suffering.  I was reminded that I will see her again one day.  That realization itself was a transcending experience, helping me understand that death is not the final chapter of a person’s life because of the hope we have in Jesus.

The point I want to make is this: the most amazing, life-changing experience I have ever had was when I asked God to forgive my sins and come into my heart.  In that moment, I felt the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and God lifted the burden and guilt of sin from my shoulders.

No longer was I in bondage, but I was free—free to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

The exciting experience you first though of cannot compare to the new birth through Jesus Christ—the only One who bridges the gap between humanity and God.

Written by,

Papa Boyd