I’ll probably receive hate mail from all true-born of the Emerald Isle, but St. Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was a Britain, probably of Roman descent. At the age of 16, he was captured by pirates and enslaved in Ireland for six years until he escaped. Years later, he looked back at his captivity as a blessing from God. He wrote in his Confession: “It was there that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. . . . So I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God.”

I don’t believe that God does terrible things to people just to teach them a lesson. I do believe that hard times can be occasions when God is revealed and faith strengthened. Patrick eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland to bring the Christian faith its people. It’s difficult to imagine going to one’s enemies to share with them the Good News of Jesus, but that’s what Patrick did. That’s what faith can accomplish. Faith takes us places we never thought we would go to do things we never thought we would do.

Have you ever experienced the working of God when you were having a difficult time? What did that revelation prompt you to do?

Read John 21:15-29, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne