God’s Redeeming Kindness

Whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.

Proverbs 8:35

Erin, a girl in my social circles in college, brought me to tears more times than I’d care to admit. Her talent was the subtle snub, communicating superiority with a raised eyebrow and a slight sneer, and I was a favorite target. After a time, just hearing her name formed a knot in the pit of my stomach and filled my heart with anxiety.

Eventually, I took my pain to Jesus, asking him to remove my anxiety and to help me forgive Erin. After that prayer, every time I heard her name spoken and felt anxiety rising up, I’d hand the situation back to Jesus—asking him to take my anxiety and to help me forgive all over again.

A few weeks into my new habit, I heard someone shout “Erin!” across my college campus, trying to catch the attention of a friend. Bracing for the anxiety, I felt nothing. After a few more Erin run-ins with zero anxiety, I realized that my prayer had been answered. Praising God, I moved on with my life.

It was when I was in law school three years later that I met the love of my life. He is my best friend, my biggest fan, and the person who knows my worst self and loves me anyway. Can you guess his name?

Aaron.

When I took my pain to Jesus and asked for his help with extending forgiveness instead of continuing to struggle alone, he took the name that caused me stomach-churning anxiety and turned it into a name that fills my heart to overflowing.

I sometimes temporarily forget that Jesus is intimately kind to us in ways that can take our breath away. We find joy and redemption when we listen to his voice, when we watch for him, and when we wait on him. God promises life and favor to those who find him, especially when we seek him and find him in the midst of a painful situation. He alone can redeem our pain, weaving it into a blessing beyond comprehension.

—Julie

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Is there a source of pain or a grudge you’re still hanging on to? The next time you’re faced with the situation, ask for God’s help to forgive the person and ask him to redeem the pain.

From the book