But God….

“You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest. BUT GOD, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raises us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:1-7 emphasis mine)

They are the two most powerful words in Sacred Scripture. BUT GOD. St. Paul provides a powerful image of our condition prior to receiving Christ and our spiritual condition after living a life in Christ. The book of Ephesians reveals to us the condemnation of sin that overshadows our lives and jeopardizes our eternal destiny. The truth that all sin originates from Satan and the pit of hell is juxtaposed with the new life of freedom and grace found in Christ.

The transition from sin to grace is bridged by the powerful words “but God”. Our lives are a walking testimony to the goodness, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and truth of Jesus Christ. We are walking stories of how Christ can, and does, transform lives. Our life, on the other hand, does not always seem to be that clear cut. It is not always obvious how God works in that gap between the tough times in our life and the graces He bestows on us because of those difficulties. Sometimes all our eyes see is the void left by the storms and troubling times in our life. Our eyes focus on the despair and stress of circumstances as opposed to the beauty and blessings of the Lord.

If your eyes see only the bleak and depressive times around you, just wait for your “but God.” If your heart is broken and the pieces seem unrepairable, be encouraged that your “but God” is coming soon. If you are shackled in sin and feel the chains around you, be assured that “but God” will unlock the bondage.

It’s the two most powerful words in Sacred Scripture: But God. It’s also the two most powerful words in your story: But God. It is six letters that transform everything. Hold on, be strong, and wait for your “but God”.