Cancer
A death in the family
A house fire
A tragic accident

A baby’s birth
A new job
The “phone call” from a publisher…

We all have those “inciting incidents” in our lives that change everything. From that moment on, our road veers from its previous course, the landscape changes and we’re venturing into unknown territory.

It’s easy to feel scared. Alone. And, if we let the trees and unfamiliar surroundings overwhelm us, we can feel lost, and tell ourselves that God has abandoned us.

We’re going to be talking this week in MBT about the “Inciting incident” – that moment in the life of our hero when everything changes. But as we focus today on our own “inciting incidents” I thought I’d share something with you I got from yesterday’s sermon.

Here’s the gist: Our feelings about a situation do not reflect the truth of a situation. Regardless of the circumstances, Jesus is always our Savior, always our Protector, always our Guide. As my pastor said, “Feelings follow Perceptions; Faith follows Facts.”

John 20:10-18 tells the story of Mary, in the Garden, on Easter Sunday. She’s distraught over Jesus’ death, and sees a man who she thinks is the gardener. She begs him to tell him where he took Jesus. And then, in one of the most moving moments of scripture, Jesus simply says….”Mary.” Immediately her eyes are opened, and she recognizes Jesus. His calm, firm voice cuts through her grief to show her the truth.

I love that. Because sometimes I think I can hear Jesus’ voice, gentle yet firm, cutting through my tears, my frenzy, even my wild joy to say, “Susie. Focus on me. I have not changed. I am still here, and I am still on the throne.”

Despite your situation, focus on those facts. As our pastor said, “Jesus is always the Savior. It’s our perception that changes!”

Three things I took away from yesterday’s sermon….

Our feelings about a situation don’t negate:
1. The work in the past of God, and Christ’s resurrection. Meaning – grace is, and will always be, available for those who seek Christ.
2. The reality of Christ’s work in the present, in our lives, giving us the grace to sustain us each day.
3. The promise of Christ’s work in the future – to give us eternal life.

Inciting Incidents don’t have to derail us. And whatever path we then take, we can know, despite our feelings, God is always with us, and will greet us when we get to our destination.

Join us tomorrow when we jumpstart our Hero with his Inciting Incident!