Holy Now: How to Be Christ's Presence Where You LiveShembull

Some say that there is an epidemic of loneliness, anxiety and anger in our culture, in our communities, in our churches and schools.

Though there are great differences between the cultural realities of Christians in first century Ephesus and those who follow Christ now in major cities of the modern global world, apparently back then they too were filled with rage and malice, brawling and slander, they still stole and swore.

Christians then and Christians now still need to hear the words of the apostle Paul and take them to heart, especially when it comes to being kind, compassionate and forgiving to those who we disagree with and are even angry with.

What enables us to love others like this?

One way is through faith: when we believe that God has forgiven us of our sins in Christ, we will have the power to forgive those who sin against us. Our beliefs are reflected by our actions, not just our repetition of true statements.

Out of all the beliefs we have about personal holiness, one of the most powerful ways to be holy is to forgive as an act of grace and faith in God. This definitely sets us apart. It is a response to the call of the Holy Spirit upon our grieving heart and it is the path to wholesomeness to those in your presence.

Often, we get addicted to our bitterness and rage. Some of us are prone to brawling and picking fights, others gossip and slander, and at our worst we act out in malice. All of it a response to traumatic hurt inflicted on us.

To get rid of this poison from our spirit is a gift to ourselves; a gift of grace from God, if we will believe it.

And then it is a gift to those who are close to us, who rely on us for love, security and safety. It is also a gift then for those who have wronged you: a gift of grace that sets in motion the possibility of them being set free from the perpetuating trauma that gets passed on and on and on in them and through them.

To be holy now is to do the faithful work of forgiveness now, everyday, as often as needed so that your heart can overflow with Christ’s compassion and kindness, so your words can be healing and encouraging.