“Stay!”

One of the hardest things is to have to stay in a place where nothing is going the way you imagined!

It could be a job, your marriage, or—let’s be honest—it could be your own church. In my case, it was the Bible school I was attending. I was in a foreign country, and what was being taught about faith was new to me—foreign, even. I didn’t feel entirely comfortable with it. It actually became too complicated for me, haha.

“I want to go home. I’m quitting,” I cried into the phone. But my mother responded very wisely: “You can quit whenever you want. Why don’t you just wait a little longer and stay a bit?”
That freed my heart. And from that point on, knowing I would leave soon, I was able to enjoy my time and—here’s the twist—love the people, just as they are, even though they were “different.” “I’m leaving soon anyway,” I thought.

Paul, the world traveler, was on his way to Macedonia but he told Timothy, “Stay here.” I can imagine that Timothy probably asked, disappointedly, “Why do you get to move on and I don’t? I don’t like it here!”

Paul said, “When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth … The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart…” (1 Timothy 1:3-5 NLT)

Paul asked Timothy to stay and put God’s love on display!

When I chose to love, the most incredible stories happened! Early one morning, a prostitute ran into the Bible school—and because I had chosen love, I said directly, “Come, sit next to me.”

To keep it short: she gave her life to Jesus, was physically healed, and today is a mother of two children!

This is why you should stay: Jesus wants to spread love through you! And on top of that, write incredible stories!

Your Father encourages you today: “Stay. Stay here—and I will stay with you!”

You are a miracle!

Déborah

P.S. The texts of this reading come from the daily email A Miracle Every Day. If you would like to receive daily encouragement, I invite you to subscribe to A Miracle Every Day.