Filled With New Peace

I lift my eyes to the hills - from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going our and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.

Psalm 121 (NRSV)

Florece Graham lives in North Carolina. In 2007, her 29-year-old son, Deon, was murdered. He was a loving, caring, and giving person. The grief she endured was tremendous. For months in her brokenness she cried - consumed with unimaginable pain.

One day, Florece was sitting quietly, asking God, Why? In that moment, she felt God telling her that her hurt could be healed if she would allow it. Finally, the healing process began. She started thanking God for sustaining her and restoring peace deep within her. She also thanked God for having given her her son, for the time they spent together, and the joy they shared during his lifetime.

A few years later, Florece found herself witnessing to others who had also experienced the loss of a child. She felt even closer to God as a result. She learned true forgiveness and compassion for others as she shared her experience with them. God can redeem acts of evil and the suffering that follows. For Florece, these encounters with others who are grieving are examples of such divine redemption.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy. Thank you for giving us strength during our most trying times, in Jesus' name. Amen.