What’s It Gonna Take?: Day Four
Day 4: Look Up: The Stephen Principle
Devotional
Stephen was being killed for his faith. Rocks were flying. The crowd was furious. And in that moment, he did something that should have been impossible. He forgave them. Not through gritted teeth. Not by reminding himself that Christians are supposed to forgive. He looked up and saw Jesus, standing at the right hand of God, His risen Savior and advocate. And out of that vision, forgiveness poured out of him naturally, even radically. That is the pattern. Stephen did not manufacture forgiveness through willpower. He received it as an overflow of seeing Jesus clearly. This is deeply encouraging, because it means that the change you are longing for in your own life does not depend entirely on how hard you try. It depends on how clearly you see Jesus. When you see Him as your advocate, the one who stood in your place and absorbed the punishment you deserved, something shifts. The bitterness you have been holding starts to loosen. The fear that has had a grip on you begins to release. You cannot force that kind of transformation. But you can look up. You can ask the Holy Spirit to show you Jesus vividly, as your crucified and risen Savior. And when He does, real change follows.
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you,
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints - Ephesians 1:18
Reflection Question
Is there an area of your life where you have been trying to force change through willpower rather than asking the Holy Spirit to give you a clearer vision of Jesus?
"He didn't say, I'm a Christian. I've got to forgive these people that I hate.
So I'm just going to grit my teeth. I'm going to do it. No, that's not what he does.
The Holy Spirit prompted Him to look up and to see Jesus
vividly portrayed before his eyes as His risen Savior." - Pastor Mike Mura
Prayer Holy Spirit, open the eyes of my heart to see Jesus more clearly today. Where I have been striving in my own strength, redirect my gaze to my crucified and risen Savior, and let real change flow from that vision.