When Words Fail

"I ran in to a couple that lost their baby. The husband was broken. We cried together and then prayed and talked. I was a mess."

These few messy sentences summarize so much pain and emotion. I didn't have any words of wisdom for this couple that lost their child. Words failed me. I had tears, prayers and eventually some encouragements. I don't think an immediate response of anything other than that would have even been appropriate. 

Many people are just like this couple. Tragedy has hit and there are no words to comfort or settle them. We see it every day. Pain and trials are the norm. 

Recently in our nation we have seen loss and tragedy on many levels. In our social and political structures we are divided. Racially we are heading down the wrong path. In the natural realm disaster has struck and devastated lives. With our national relationships abroad the word 'tense' seems to understate the current norm. 

People are looking for answers. All these things impact people personally. Even without the things that have happened in our nation we see people living amidst personal trials. While the Christian life is not easy I can't imagine doing life any other way. How do people make it without God? 

The only hope we have in the midst of tragedy is that God is good. Some scoff and some don't believe in the goodness of God. I can't see any other option. Without it I am without hope. God's goodness is the only thing that assures me that the suffering and pain we endure in this life will be worth it all in the end. 

God is near to the brokenhearted and collects our tears as His treasures. That in itself is mind blowing. But when you think of a God who cries with us, Who listens to our prayers and Who speaks words of comfort and wisdom to us there can be no other conclusion than that God is good. He loves us and love never fails. His words are eternal and when words fail us His word stands strong. 

If you're experiencing pain or tragedy know that God is with you in your pain. He loves you and hasn't left. Your emotions are normal and it's okay to experience anger, confusion, sadness and to have questions. But when you settle in to the reality that God is good it will help you to go through the trial and the pain. 

Day 285 - The Pain

"...the pain..."

With all things in life are pain. Even the most joyous and wonderful parts of life come with their own pains to get to them. In our Christian walk, which is the greatest joy, we will be persecuted and are promised to be hated and suffer trouble in the world. In marriage there is the pains of becoming one. If we are to lay down our lives and love our wives like Christ loved the church it will be painful because crucifixion isn't easy or pleasurable. Raising kids has its own pain. I was just thinking earlier today of times I have had to discipline my children and say no to them when I wanted to say yes. Listening to them cry and watching them learn hard lessons is painful. 

We live in a society that is actively trying to do everything in their power to avoid pain. They will numb it through distractions and passing pleasures, drown it in a bottle, or just avoid it all together. The problem is that in avoiding pain we find that new and deeper pains come. 

Rather than run from pain we should face it and take it. Just like a good workout may seem daunting, afterward you are glad you did it when you see the results. I have often dreaded the pain of conversations and confrontations only to find that the pain was worth the process. The things we go through properly and endure the pain we will find that we actually grow through. On the other side of the pain is a health and strength. God builds character in us. 

Pain is never fun. Don't let that send you the wrong way. Stay through the pain and you will see the joys that outlasting it brings. 

How do you deal with pain? What are some joys that come from pain? 

Day 230 - Learning the Hard Way

"I found out later that I didn't put any sunblock on my face."

I would imagine you know how I found out that I didn't have any sunblock on my face. Pain and redness! 

Like the old DC Talk song says; "Some people gotta learn the hard way, I guess I'm the type of guy who's gotta find out for himself". Experience is a tough teacher. She doesn't discriminate nor does she pull any punches. Like walking into a wrecking ball there have been things that I wanted to know for myself and later wished I would have listened to sound wisdom. Or to take it a step further asked someone who would know!

Thankfully not everything in life is learned this way. There are lots of things we can only learn from experience and hard knocks. But if you can learn from the experience of others or from instruction then you will save yourself many sorrows and painful learning lessons. 

This is where the student of the Bible will be glad to know their efforts aren't wasted. The Bible is more than a bunch of stories from history. It is examples of people who failed and succeeded. It shows us what to do and what not to do. 

Why learn from tough times when you can receive the instruction of God's Word?

What tough life lessons have you learned in the school of hard knocks? What lessons have you learned from others or from the Word of God?

Day 165 - Not Even Close

"From the Word: Romans 8:18 is so poetic and powerful. I don't even consider the present sufferings to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us. Suffering can't even be compared with glory. It's not even close."

So if it is not even close then why do I continue to compare? It's like someone from a distance holding up their finger and sizing up a mountain. "Look how big my problems are!" No, put your little finger at the base of that mountain and see how insignificant the suffering is compared to the massive glory waiting for us. 

Being in church for most of my life I have been in meetings that have gotten away from the leaders. Some jokingly have called it "Top that testimony". People have shared from platforms on microphones with a captive audience things that never should be shared. I remember one time in a meeting a young lady shared her sufferings with no resolve and it was like the breaking of a dam. Soon followed story after story of sadness and brokenness. Thankfully one of the leaders put an end to it but the damage was already done. Wounds were open and people were hurting. 

The only way to heal from the hurt is to look to the Healer. When we get focused on our goal (His name is Jesus) then the light ahead of us outshines the darkness all around us. 

Did you have a dad who wasn't there or who was but did the wrong things? Look to your eternal Father. Have people used and abused you and then left you high and dry? Look to the one who stays closer than a brother in Whom is true rest. Have you gone through pain and agony that no one should endure? Look to the one Who endured the cross that we should have carried and died on. 

It doesn't compare. Look up, your future is bright! 

How does having an eternal perspective change your view of suffering and pain? Are there other scriptures that talk about this? 

Day 160 - Truly Letting Go

"We prayed and released everything to God and chose to forgive regardless of reciprocation."

True forgiveness let's go and releases regardless of response or reciprocation. True forgiveness has already decided what it will do well before it speaks. True forgiveness starts in the heart, works its way through the mouth and out into the actions. 

I often think of offenses as sharp tacks. The one offending may willingly or unwillingly hurt someone else and the tack is placed in the had of the one offended. U forgiveness closes its fingers around that tack and won't let go. The only problem with that is that no one is hurting except the one holding the tack. It doesn't punish the offender and doesn't relieve the pain of the offended. 

Forgiveness opens the hand, removes the tack and tosses it into the sea of forgetfulness. Why? Shouldn't we stay angry? What of justice? If you believe in the forgiveness of God at the cross and have received that same forgiveness then you are under obligation to give that same forgiveness. In fact we are commanded to forgive others just like God forgave us in and through Jesus Christ. 

That is the only way we can forgive. True forgiveness is in the likeness of the One who alone is the truth Himself. When we let go of the pain and the offense and forgive we are now operating in the supernatural power of God. His love never fails. 

Have you been holding on to pain and unforgiveness? It is time to release it to God in prayer. What scriptures in the Bible help us to forgive? 

Day 102 - An Education in Healing

"A few days ago in church I had the thought that sometimes, in order for a person to get healed their mind needs to be educated and their spirit edified in order for their body to be healed. We see this in Mark 6:5-6 that Jesus couldn't do many miracles except lay hands on a few sick people to heal them and He marveled at their unbelief. The next thing Jesus did was to travel in a circuit teaching so that faith would rise and people could get healed. Today while driving to church I had the thought that in the Bible we also see the reverse. Jesus sometimes healed the body so that the spirit would be edified and then the mind was educated. This was the instance of the man in John chapter 9. He was first healed. Then because of his healing he could boldly testify of what Jesus had done. Finally he had to be educated about who Jesus really was so Jesus revealed Himself."

This post pretty much speaks for itself. I think the thought that comes today is that there is a process that we must go through in our faith. Sometimes that process is education to faith (faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God) and then receiving the promise. Other times the process is a miracle beyond our understanding that catapults us into a realm where progress comes through education. 

We need to patient and endure the process. I find that healing is one area that people have a difficult time waiting. The simple answer is pain. I don't blame them either. Enduring pain for prolonged periods of time can bring doubt, discouragement and even depression. 

The answer is in what the Bible describes as endurance. The original word is a compound word that means to stand under a burden. If we have the Word of God as one leg and the grace of God as the other we will be able to stand under the pain of the pressure and process as long as it takes. May the Lord educate us Himself and give us grace to endure the pain of the process.

Have you ever been healed and then God showed you truth from that healing? What scriptures help you when you are believing for healing?