One day I had a breakthrough experience that changed my life forever.
I was reading the Bible and noticed that Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning after He was crucified and buried. The stone in front of the tomb was rolled aside, so she knelt down and looked in, but His body was not there.
Mary did not realize that He had been resurrected from the dead. She did not know where He was and began to cry because of her great loss.
Inside the tomb were two angels who asked her why she was crying.
Then behind her came the voice of a man she thought was a gardener—but it was Jesus. When He spoke her name, “Mary,” she recognized Him and was ecstatic (John 20:1–16).
As I read this, my eyes were opened to a key for getting over rejection, pain and losses from the past.
For Mary, her pain was the loss of a friend and leader who may have been the first to ever care for her.
Notice these key elements of this account in John 20:1–16: The other disciples spent time at the tomb and went back home, but Mary stayed there crying. Mary looked into the tomb and focused on her loss, similar to when we focus on the loss and pain of our past.
There Is No Life in the Tomb
Too often, we focus on the tomb of our past. Yes, there is an appropriate amount of time to deal with grief and loss. But there is also a time to look in a new direction. You cannot live your life at the tomb of your past.
Did you notice where Jesus was?
He was behind her.
Mary had to stand up and turn 180 degrees from the tomb.
This symbolizes the need for us to turn our focus away from our past pain and loss.
Notice that Jesus appeared as a gardener. This symbolizes that when you focus on the future, God is there to help things grow and bring life. Also, Mary saw two angels inside the tomb.
The symbolism here is that inside every painful experience is a blessing from God—if we can only recognize it.
When Jesus said, “Mary,” her eyes were opened, and she immediately recognized Him.
Oftentimes, we are not able to recognize the work of God in our painful situation. I started to realize that inside every painful experience is a gift.
By simply changing your focus, you can allow the past to strengthen you and give you the necessary tools to help others who are camped out at their tombs.
This is an important part of hearing the voice of God. As you develop a close relationship with Him, God will find ways to let you know He loves and cares for you specifically. The power of turning away from the past and negative things is vital to receiving all that God has for us!
I bet you did not expect to read this in a book about hearing God, but it is really needed. Please do not skip through this because it will help you advance the most.
Blessings,
Doug Addison
DougAddison.com
P.S This is an excerpt from Chapter 7 of Hearing God Every Day: Understanding the Supernatural Ways God Speaks to Us by Doug Addison, which releases March 19, 2019. Pre-order your book today!
Doug Addison is the founder and president of InLight Connection. Doug is a prophetic speaker, author and coach. He is known for his Daily Prophetic Words, Spirit Connection webcast, podcast and blog. He and his wife Linda live in Los Angeles, California where they are impacting the arts, entertainment and media industries.
This is so true. turn Your Eyes upon Jesus is the chorus I sing all the time…and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the Light of his glory and grace. Amen.
Yes! Thanks for sharing. God bless you!
Thank you Doug. I am particularly struck by your
pointing out that Jesus was behind Mary and she
had to turn in a different direction to find Him.
I am currently looking at cleansing family bloodlines.
Am I looking at a tomb I wonder .
Thanks for being who you are ! God bless you .
Hey Lynne! That is not considered looking back at the tomb. Doug did a podcast with Katie Souza that might be helpful for you on understanding what Doug means by “tombs”, https://dougaddison.com/2017/07/what-is-soul-healing-and-why-do-i-need-it-conversation-with-katie-souza-episode-20/. God bless you!
Thanks for sharing this Doug,I was actually praying that God will help me with rejection,and forgiveness. You have been such a big help to me and an even bigger encouragement!
I love that Jackie! God bless you!
This is a timely message for me cause i had to abandon a career project ; thought i realized it was God’s will , the pain has been so had to ignore and turn from
Another painful experience was the passing away of my mum. This time the pain is the fact that i did not do much
to render a worthy life for my mother who sacrificed alot for our education and up bringing …I was really living in regret .
Thanks for this message
God bless you Festo. I am glad Doug’s blog post was helpful for you.
Powerful help & revelation- thank you for added hope as I turn more to JESUS- HE is doing just that. I love your personality & enthusiasm to help the body of Christ Doug. Blessings brother in JESUS living Almighty Alive Name Amen THANK YOU
Thank you for your kind words Shirley! God bless you!
This so encouraged me today. I realized upon reading this, I’ve been at the tomb staring in. I was laying in bed feeling like I wasn’t hearing ABBA. However, confessing that I know the voice ofThe Good Shepherd . Was led to pick my phone,. I knew ABBA had something to say to me that was in my emails. Surly HE is Faithful! Thank you Doug for your obedience and perseverance in the directions of ABBA!
I am so glad you enjoyed the blog post Kim! God bless you!
Hi Doug, since I started reading your prophetic word I started crying! and it has been very profound what I have felt line by line, your word has brought life to my spirit; I really thought that everything is already dead and finished for me! It has been so difficult in 2018 and this 2019 has not started as I thought! Although there is faith and hope there is life! Thank you because I can see that I keep moving forward and God speaks to me at the most opportune moment. I bless you and you are a great blessing to my life. Hugs.
Aw that is so awesome Cristian! Wow! I love that! I am so glad Doug was able to encourage you. God bless you!
Thank you Doug. Truth that sets us free.
Recently I came to realize that even though Father God has forgiven our sin we hold on to the guilt and shame when we need to forgive ourselves and put our failures under the Blood of Jesus. Whose opinion matters more God’s by His mercy calls us forgiven or mine, that condemns.
Blessing
So good Georgette! God bless you!
Thanks for confirmation AGAIN. Yesterday 02.27.19 I woke up hearing the Spirit whisper to me, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” I’d heard it before and have been meditating on it for a couple of months. 2019 translation: “MOVE ON. THERE’s NOTHING TO SEE HERE.” Jesus said, “It is FINISHED.” No more camping in the graveyard. JESUS IS ALIVE! Go tell somebody!
Woohoo! That is awesome Linda! Thanks for sharing!
This is AWESOME thank you Doug !!!
Bless you abundantly !!!
My field that the LORD has placed me in is psychiatry
(which means healer of the spirit ) currently in a paradigm of darkness.
Your words reiterate the Kingdom of GOD truth, love and light to be shared abroad in this dark field.
Praise the LORD !
Thank you again Doug for all you are doing in HIS wonderful name.
Big GOD Bless,
Deborah
That is awesome Deborah! God bless you!
Love this story. It’s so good how God speaks to us in different ways. But yes we all have tombs and we need to let them to rest and move forward. I felt the Lord tell me at the beginning of the year to get up take your mat and walk. I went through a grieving period in my life last year. But this year I know God has something new for me. Arise!!
Awesome Ana! That is a great word God gave you. God bless you!
Hi Dough,
Wow, wow wow, what an awesome God……….. it pertain sooooo much to my life……. the past, the present and the future. I am internally greatful to your obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ. I worship my Almighty and my blood is having bubbles of expectation. Blessings from Honeydew, Roodepoort, Johannesburg. Please let me know when and where will you be coming to South Africa? Please. I love your daily prophetic words, the life streams, podcast…….. which I could afford courses.
Blessings from our lovers of God Almighty our Jesus Christ and those who don’t know that……. my heart is bleeding for them.
Sanette Nortje
Hey Sanette! I am so glad that you enjoyed the podcast. Right now Doug does not have plans to go to South Africa but you never know! God bless you!
Love this as I have been going through the passing of my husband and I igree with all you said, but how do you look outside your conform zone it’s like you always waiting for that person to come home, I want to see myself in a future but I do not know how to take the step and mostly to make sure that it’s the right time and God path for me ?
Hey Jo! Here are two resources that may help you with knowing how to step into God’s timing and destiny for you,
1) https://dougaddison.com/2014/11/how-to-know-gods-timing-for-your-destiny/
2) https://dougaddison.com/2017/02/how-to-recognize-gods-will-timing-for-your-life-podcast/
God bless you! Praying for you to step into everything God has for you.
This is a great encouragement to me. I have been receiving your Daily Prophetic Word for a while now. But have not got it for the past 2 days. I hope you are still doing these. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly.
Hey Carol! The Daily Prophetic Word might be being marked as spam in your inbox. Please check your spam folder. If its not there, please email help@dougaddison.com and I can further assist you. Bless you!
Yes it was in my spam box today.
May you have a God blessed day!
Great Carol thanks for checking!
Yes, we tend to look back at the past. If we are to go there, let us remember the good. Whatever sins, we have committed after asking Jesus forgiveness, He forgave us and forgot it. Are we higher than Jesus in remembering our past sins or hurts? No, we aren’t. It is time that we start living from a Heavenly attitude. Yes, there are lovely things on earth to keep our minds filled will nice refreshing thoughts. Nature and the creatures God created are beautiful. The person next to you is created in God’s image just as you are. And, so are the homeless people lying on sidewalks, parked benches and elsewhere. Rather than feeling sorry for ourselves, let us give of ourselves to bring the Joy of the Lord to those who truly are in need of it.
Thanks for sharing Theresa! Bless you!
Wow I love the part about Jesus when He appeared to Mary as a gardener. God is here to nurture us and help us grow. God bless you!
Amen! That is so good Ana. Bless you!
May our Abba bless your ministry in an amazing way.
I have been receiving your prophetic word. Thank you.
With this insight on the tomb, has opened my eyes. Sometimes we fall into familiar.
Again thank you
Thanks so much for your prayers and kinds word for Doug and his ministry! I am so glad that Doug’s blog post was able to assist you. God bless you!
Plezse pray God will help me turn and forgive to be free of the tomb in my life
Hey Jillian! This podcast Doug did with Katie Souza will be helpful for you, https://dougaddison.com/2017/07/what-is-soul-healing-and-why-do-i-need-it-conversation-with-katie-souza-episode-20/. God bless you!