DON HEBERT

Many of us go through life feeling small, insignificant, or vulnerable. The world can feel hostile, our resources limited, and our influence tiny. When opposition rises against our faith, or when we lose battles within our own hearts, fear and anxiety can take over. Yet these feelings, while honest, should not lead us to despair or to live as though Jesus is still in the tomb. The resurrection changes everything about how we see ourselves and our circumstances.

When Jesus rose and met his disciples behind locked doors, his first words were not blame or rebuke, even though they had abandoned him just days earlier. He simply said, “Peace be with you.” This was grace beyond what any of them deserved. That same peace is offered to us today. Because Christ rose, we are made right with God, no longer his enemies but his friends and children. We can stop fearing the future, stop dreading death, and stop carrying the shame of past failures. The wounds Jesus showed his followers are proof that the price has already been paid.

This peace also moves us outward. The same Jesus who spoke calm into a frightened room then sent his followers into the world, breathing his Spirit on them. We are not left alone to do this work. The Spirit lives in us, giving us strength we do not have on our own. Our task is simple: carry the message of forgiveness to others. We cannot forgive sins ourselves, but we can tell people the good news that God will forgive those who turn to him. When we feel weak, we remember that the One who lives in us is greater than anything we face.

If you feel small or afraid, picture the risen Jesus standing near, speaking peace over your heart. Receive his forgiveness, accept his Spirit, and join the work he has set before you. The same words spoken in that locked room are spoken to us now.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Romans 5:1