Can I just say that tonight was nothing short of miraculous? I mean, really. We had our youth council meeting tonight that I was literally crying over Wednesday because I was so nervous about it. Phone calls and emails and conversations were flying everywhere all week about it. But let me tell you, God was all over tonight and there was such a sweet spirit among us that I would have never guessed could happen.
Last night as I was praying about this, I just felt God calling us to be compassionate. I started looking up verses about compassion and I found this verse in Nehemiah 9:17 But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. and just felt it was what we needed….being gracious towards them, compassionate and slow to anger. And it happened tonight. All of our anger was gone. We were gracious and compassionate towards one another. We didn’t point fingers and slam each other for past wrongs. Yes, we did admit and talk about that things had gone wrong. We didn’t gloss over the fact we had issues. And I wouldn’t even say we started with a clean slate and forgot about the past. I think we built on the past. We realized where we had gotten and how but because we all looked to God to heal this, I think he changed our own hearts and not each other to see each other in a different light. I think we all just wanted to not put our differences aside but bring them to the front and deal with them.
I can honestly say I feel free walking out of that meeting. No sideward glances. No rolling eyes. No beating heart. No anger. No hurt. No distrust. Will it always be this way? Not if we work together long enough. But I really think we have realized if we get knocked down, we can get back up again. Just like Toby Mac talked about in that video I posted a few days ago. We’re going to disagree. Over and over and over again. But the true test of a friendship or team is can it make it past that? Somehow tonight we did.
Everyone could sense the tension was gone and we had a great time. We talked about the youth and laughed about who was dating who and shared who was struggling and then all of the sudden, we had something in common. The youth. That’s what we’re there for. To lead young people towards Christ and help them live that out. We all have a part and we need everyone.
I was dreading tonight but I know God worked a miracle in our hearts tonight. We do have a rocky past and that will never, ever change now but I can say for right now, we are united.