I've been thinking about this post all night and most of this morning.
I've been thinking about this life we live...
It's exhausting...it's not easy...it's brutal.
In the last few months my family and my friends have been dealing with heartaches and struggles of so many.
The loss of parents, sickness, depression, marital affairs, cults, cancer, babies in the nicu, strokes, fear, divorce, loss of children, car accidents, loss of jobs....I could go on.
All of these things have occurred to someone I love whether in my family or church family in the recent months.
Brutal.
And the one thing that comforts me is something that Beth Moore said on James and Betty Robison....He Knows.
He Knows how brutal this life is. He knows how scary this world is. He knows how fearful we are of things we can't control. He knows how painful it is.
He knows....He knows.
M heart aches for my loved one who feels so hopeless. It aches. I can't do anything about it but pray that God's love and mercy just be poured onto his young, precious heart right now. I pray for protection for him.
My heart aches for family and friends who are dealing with cancer. Despicable, disease of the enemy. I hurt for my friends who have lost loved ones, for my sweet grandmother who still wakes every night and looks for her husband who is not there, for a loved one who is so fearful of the disease he doesn't even know what to do about it.
I hurt for my sister who was cast out by her husband for a younger woman. I hurt for her children who are so young, they don't even understand what's going on. I hurt for her and the loneliness she struggles with and the blow to her self-esteem.
My heart aches for the daily sickness, struggles, fears we deal with. I deal with.
But God knows. He knows our fears. He knows how much we can take. He knows.
He knows what loneliness is like when your closest loved ones are nowhere to be found.
He knows what fear is like, when huge soldiers are slapping and beating you.
he knows what the loss of a friend is like. He knows what the loss of a father is like.
His compassion is like no other.
His mercies are new every morning.
No matter what sorrows your are facing, no matter the hurts that this life brings, remember that He knows. He loves you and hurts with you and for you. He holds you in the palm of His hand and because of Him there is Hope.
Prayer
Dear Father, my heart is heavy...it's been heavy. So many whom I love are struggling. They are dealing with scary things. I have them too Lord. Protect us Father. Hold us in your hand. Remind us that we are not of this world and that you are preparing a better place for us. So much better than this world. Thank you for that Lord. I pray for all my friends and family that are hurting or sick or sad. Heal them Lord, touch their hearts and restore their minds. In your precious name, Amen.
Challenges
Pray for yourself, your family and your loved ones. Pray for peace, protection and endurance to run this race no matter where the course takes us.
Spark Truths.
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-16
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalms 62:5-6
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelations 22:1-5
