A place of grace

Last night I was at the annual banquet of the York Rescue Mission – a fellow member of our 300 member Rescue Mission association. It was a nice banquet with singing, testimonies, and special presentations. However, I was particularly struck by the stories of the former guests of the Mission. They had the same stories as many of the men and women guests I have gotten to know at Water Street Rescue Mission:

A life of pain and difficulty
…numerous attempts to escape by self effort
…descent to emptiness
…surrender of self to God
…transformation of the heart that infuses hope, joy and power into life
…then pain and difficulty, again
…but this time, with a power to live above it.

I was convicted by the reality of this pattern in my own life. There are things in my life that are painful and difficult and my first reaction is too often to deal with it by self effort. A process which seldom produces peace that is sustainable.

As I listened to the testimonies last night, I had to wonder: Since I know that surrender of self to God provides a grace to live above the pain and difficulties, why I am so slow or reluctant to surrender? At times I suspect it could be my stubbornness, or perhaps I am often not sure how or what to surrender. Regardless, I am grateful for God’s perseverance with me and for friends who walk with me thru the pain to find that place of grace.

It was a blessing to be reminded of the power and grace of God to deliver us from our own humanity.

-Jere Shertzer, WSRM President