Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
November 14, 2022
This Week's Anchor
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:26-27 (NIV)
Where do I even begin with this week’s devotion? This topic came to me as I waded through a lot of emotion following watching the movie, Wakanda Forever. I will not spoil it for those who haven’t watched, but as most folks can presume, the movie pays tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, carrying his legacy as Black Panther. Because of this, going into it, I knew it would be heavy. It has been collectively hard to wrap our minds around Chadwick’s death. Despite not knowing him personally, and only having a connection with him through the screen, I’ve had an incredibly difficult time processing his death these past two years. Maybe it’s that he was young (just a couple of years older than my husband, and a couple of years younger than my older sister), or possibly that he seemed like such a pure and kind soul. Whatever the reason, this has been a tough Hollywood death to grieve for many. Nevertheless, I mustered the strength to face the grief and watch this movie with fellow sorors and church community members. It was emotional. It was hard…And as I made my way home after the movie, I continued to think and feel. My sadness and grief quickly expanded. What started as sad thoughts and feelings regarding Chadwick became sad thoughts and feelings about the long list of pure-hearted folks in my life (and others’ lives) who left us for what feels like too soon. The sense of unfairness weighed heavy on me as I emotionally asked God, “why?”
I began talking to God honestly from my raw feelings— “It isn’t fair. Why do good people die young? Die tragically? Why does something as evil as cancer exist? Why can’t it be fixed? Why did he have to be sacrificed? Why not someone else less pure-hearted? Why do mean-spirited people live long?” As I tearfully asked God my questions, there were no answers. A bush didn’t burn next to me explaining why life is unfair. The sky didn’t crack open with a scroll outlining why things are the way they are. But…as I wept and pleaded to God for answers, I felt the presence of the Holy Trinity with me. As each tear fell, I felt their comfort and peace fall on me. And by the end of this moment with God, I felt reassured and reminded of the sovereignty of His purpose, and the reality that this world isn’t our eternal home—that each of us is passing by, here temporarily, and on borrowed time. And yet, even with little time, someone’s life, character, and legacy can beautifully impact millions of people whom they never met in person and move folks to tears as they collectively mourn their death.
I left my ‘little talk with Jesus’ grateful and grounded, nonetheless. It felt reminiscent of the moment the disciples had with Jesus in John chapter 14, where Jesus comforts and encourages them in preparation for His own death. Like me, the disciples had many questions. The impending death of Jesus didn’t make sense to them. They were confused, concerned, and afraid. Nevertheless, Jesus offered them His comfort, assurance, and peace the way He gave them to me in my desperate moment.
Life is a constant challenge, but the past few years have been tough in both collective and unique ways for many of us. Grief, anxiety, and trauma have hovered over us like dark clouds. Some have endured cumulative grief, and for many, the world hasn’t seemed the least bit fair or reasonable. If you are reading this devotion and this space of unfair grief resonates with you, I first want to acknowledge and honor every raw emotion and thought you’ve waded through and continue to wade through along the way. I then want to offer the loving presence of the Holy Trinity to anchor you as you continue navigating your journey.
While writing this devotion, the clearest image of God’s love and care for us was illustrated to me in a sweet parenting moment. My Sunday evenings are almost always predictable—they usually involve either me or my husband putting my daughter to bed and then me taking a moment of solitude to finalize and prepare for the upcoming week’s GBW devotion. My daughter usually falls asleep easily, but this Sunday, I was tasked with bedtime duties, and not long after getting her into bed I noticed through her room monitor that she was more fidgety than normal. As I began approaching our devotion, I heard a sound come from my daughter’s monitor, “Mommy? Mommy!” My husband and I are used to movement, whimpers, and sometimes whines through the monitor, but there was something about my daughter calling out my name that alerted me and caught my attention. I went to her bedroom to inquire about what she needed. She needed to use the restroom, so I led her to the bathroom and tucked her back into bed. As I walked back to complete this devotion, this moment stayed with me. I thought about how God, like a parent, showed up for me the night before when I called to Him desperately asking my questions.
To be real, when we are exhausted and in pain, connecting with God can feel like a tall order. However, I can assure you that like my experience as a parent to my daughter, God doesn’t need much to hear our cries for Him. We need not sift through all our emotions, pray a particular kind of way, or engage in a specific order of rituals. However, if we simply call for Him and speak to Him; in our own words; in our pain, despair, curiosity, confusion, and grief, He will show up in our rooms asking and giving us exactly what we need.
As we enter another week, may we each feel confident in knowing that God will never leave or forsake us. Even when life is hard and especially when life’s unfair. God sees us and He hears us. He feels us and He understands. He graciously invites our honest and humble emotions and questions, and when we enter His presence in pain, we can leave it with unexplainable and unshakable peace.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity in your current season?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Genesis 50:19-21
Deuteronomy 31:6
2 Chronicles 16:9
Matthew 11:28-30
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“Life is very short and what we have to do must be done in the now.”
Audre Lorde
Comments