Inspire to Bloom by Janica

When Hate Met God’s Love and Everything Changed Unexpectedly.

My apologies for the longer-than-expected pause in writing. I’ve wrestled with the themes of my latest piece more than once. Most recently during last Sunday’s church service, where I experienced what was, in many ways, the worst sermon of my life… and strangely, also the best. In that moment, I got to practice what I believe in with all my heart: send love where it has gone missing.

I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to write about this. It’s the kind of topic that divides opinions. But when your calling starts rising to the surface, asking to be heard, you don’t really get to stay silent. So here we are.

The theme of the Sunday was the Annunciation. A day of joy, a day of celebration. The sun was shining brightly, birds were singing, and the church was almost full. And yet somehow, the priest (someone I had never heard before) ended up revealing something deeply personal. Her sermon carried a tone of unbearable anger and bitterness toward the opposite sex.

When a Sermon Was Filled with Anger – A Church Experience That Stopped Me

At the beginning, the priest shared that she had recently been exploring the views of the Catholic and Orthodox churches on Mary. The priest spoke about the many ways those traditions honor and celebrate her. I was captivated, nodding along eagerly. But suddenly, the tone shifted completely. Mary was forgotten, and in her place, some of history’s most well-known men were lifted up.

I had never felt such a strong urge to walk out of a church service. But I stayed. I sat still in my seat, quietly praying for Christ’s help, because the weight of that anger, bitterness, and contempt began to wash over me so strongly that, for a moment, I couldn’t feel love at all. 

And I knew, that wasn’t coming from within me. Christ lives in me. So I turned inward, focusing on my heart and on everything good in front of me. I saw a lost sheep standing at the pulpit, and compassion rose within me. I saw the congregation shrinking into their seats as darkness covered them, and something protective awakened in me. I noticed the sunlight in the corner of my eye, heard children playing in the distance, saw all those beloved souls before me…

And suddenly, I was filled with divine love.

It moved through me like a wave, clearing out the darkness, bubbling up like a joyful spring from the church floor. I could barely hold back laughter, the delight was so overwhelming. And to my surprise, I began to notice people around me smiling, one after another. (Believe it or not, it still had nothing to do with the sermon. Mary had been forgotten long ago.)

When God’s Love Filled the Church – A Powerful Move of the Holy Spirit

When we finally walked to communion with a hymn, I could see many people trying to hold back their joy. The children had moved to the lobby, running and playing, their laughter echoing softly in the background.

The spring kept flowing.

Some people were even laughing out loud as they returned from communion. I have never witnessed anything like it. And as I left the church, it felt like that living spring was still there, overflowing. Maybe it still is ❤️ You might want to see for yourself… and notice if the Spirit touches you the next time you step into a church.

Nothing Will Stand in My Way as I Embrace My Destiny

Since I also opened up about something deeply personal in my previous article, music, I’ll share the song that reflects my heart this week. Not for promotion, not as an ad… simply because it’s so good! And if someone still wants to debate whether an entire music genre can be unholy, I’m more than happy to continue that conversation. At this point, nothing can hold me back anymore ✝️

And to close, in the words of the song, this week’s lesson: