My friend is hurting. Life hasn't
turned out the way she hoped it would, and everything seems dark to
her. God seems distant. I wish I was there to hug her, to be the arms
of Jesus to her, and to remind her of how precious she is to him.
Instead I am far away, feeling helpless.
But I am not helpless. She and I are
connected; by faith in Jesus we share the same Spirit. Perhaps that's
why I feel her pain tonight.
“Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our
troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the
comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Cor. 1:3-4
We
all suffer. We go through stuff that sometimes we feel we shouldn't
have to. Because I have suffered in my life, I can comfort my friend.
God has given me a heart of compassion because I know what it is to
hurt. What a shame it would be if I wasted my suffering, if I stuffed
all the things I've been through down so deep that I had nothing to
share with my friend. Talking about my own pain hurts. It brings it
back up, and causes those old wounds to throb. The pain never
completely goes away, but I am reminded of how far God has brought
me, and of the comfort he afforded me through others. He is our
Father, the Father of compassion.
So
tonight, I'm lifting up my friend before the throne of grace, before
the God who loves her more than she can imagine, more than she feels
today. I'm praying that God will comfort her, and that he will give
her wisdom as she figures out the best way to deal with her
situation. I am praying that the Prince of Peace will reign in her
anything-but-peaceful heart.
Your words are so touching.
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