Some of the most foundational moments of my teen years were spent among friends and family who were part of the revivalist movement of charismatic Christianity. I had experiences with God here that I would not trade for anything, and our goal every meeting was to pursue what we called a "culture of revival." We sought miracles. We contended for awakening in America and the world. We prayed incessantly for God to encounter us with a barrage of physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional healings. "Deliverance services" were commonplace.
And God "showed up," as they say. I saw healings take place, I was delivered from spiritual bondage in my own life, and above all, I witnessed the most profound miracle of salvation recreate strangers into brothers and sisters. Such meetings were not without abuses, however, and as I matured in both stature and faith, I found myself drifting from this movement. I needed God to show me the new perspective regarding the supernatural, one that wasn't contingent on the type of worship music being played, the boisterousness of prayers, or the political ideology adhered to. I asked God to show me where I could find "more of Him" outside the confines of a tradition that was, more often than not, easily fooled by physical manifestations and fluff and frequently preoccupied with the question, "Where are the miracles?" And through the wisdom of Scripture, mentors, and patristic writings, this is where I believe He has led me:
I am no longer to be concerned with asking God, "Where are the miracles?" I am no longer to be discontent enough with my walk in faith to constantly seek a breakthrough or sensational experience, spiritual or otherwise. As of late, I've been compelled to awaken to the glory of ordinary time, to see the face of God in every human in the here and now, and to realize that our very existence is a radical testimony of God's divine hospitality. He allows us to live in His world.
It's not that I don't believe in explicitly supernatural encounters with God anymore. I do; I think we should all earnestly desire them, and I'll never forget my own experiences that I believe to be real. But I refuse to miss the trees for the forest, so to speak. I refuse to allow my desire for God's power in my life overcome my rest in Him because His power is already evident! And He demonstrates it through His unfailing love for us: the resurrection, the transformational power of salvation, communion with Him and with our brethren, and His choice to cohabitate with us on Earth. Again, this is His world. There is beauty and hope here. The presence of God is here. The peace of God is with us. This is the Gospel!
So where aren't the miracles?
