He Is Already With You.*

Trauma, grief, and ongoing disappointment are the blizzards of human experience. They leave us confused and disoriented, like Mary Magdalene who encountered the risen Jesus near the tomb on Easter morning. She was dysregulated by the shock of his brutal murder and blinded by hopelessness and the fatigue that nips at the heels of grief. In fact, she was so overcome by Jesus’s apparent absence (his lifeless body in the tomb), that she could not discern his living presence the first time he addressed her.

Like Mary, trauma and distress can blind us to the good news of God with us. What the Scriptures reveal, however, is that He is present, even when our physical senses, emotions, and intellect have totally convinced us otherwise. Even then, he is with you. He is calling your name.

Scripture passage: John 20:1-18

*This message was originally preached on April 17, 2022, at CityChurch in Iowa City. Listen to the full audio above or search “Dear Exiles” wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hey! Thanks for being here. I’m a book-obsessed pastor, author, and holistic life and leadership coach. Find out more about coaching and my other creative projects at www.heatherweber.org. For blog posts that come straight to your inbox, subscribe to this Dear Exiles newsletter in the subscription box above. Fun fact: I’m also the author of Dear Boy:, An Epistolary Memoir and the host of the Your Pastor Reads Books podcast.