“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18 ESV
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7 ESV
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 ESV
After what is often a long and hot summer here in Texas, we always look forward to the cooler weather that Fall brings and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. For most of us, it’s an exciting time of year. Yet, many are left lonely, with only memories of their long-ago family gatherings and the sights and sounds of years gone by. That realization alone weighs heavy on my heart each year.
Honestly, October and November have been extra challenging months for me this year. I won’t list all the reasons, but some of the biggies are that my husband and I have lost people near and dear to us. We have also had family members and friends who were, and still are, facing some type of grief and uncertainty in their lives. A couple of nights ago, our neighbor and friend passed away suddenly. Steve was only 61 years of age. This unforeseen event has brought a time of sadness and of doing what we can to help his wife, Vino. Since we have suffered great loss, our hearts are extra sensitive to those who are going through such traumatic times.
Even though these unwanted life events seem to have encircled us these past few weeks, we continue to experience God-given and beautiful, heartwarming moments with family and friends. Seeing the joys and innocence of the little ones who grace our lives is like a good dose of medicine for whatever ails us. We are surrounded by a lot of deep love, much thankfulness and joy, and we never fail to give God credit for how He works. I don’t know how He does it, but He specializes in bringing joy in the midst of pain as He shows us a new way forward through faith in Christ.
We all face challenging days or seasons, for we cannot avoid them. But, of all the things I may or may not know about our Heavenly Father, the one thing that I do know is that He is always with us, and He will never, ever leave us. His Word is full of this very promise. His love and care are exquisite, and He walks every path we take. He is with us in the good times and those times of trials, sorrow, grief, and pain. He overwhelmingly loves you and me! As believers in Christ, we must unequivocally hold on to the hem of His garment, for it is there where we find the strength to go on.
If you are going through a difficult time, please reach for the nail-scarred hand of the Savior, Jesus Christ. He will meet you right where you are and give you the strength to carry on in His name. There’s no better place to be. His arms are strong, and His love is deep. He is and will always be so much bigger than our pain.
PRAYER: Father God, we love You and are so thankful for the opportunity to be still before You. You alone are worthy of our praise. During these challenging times in which we live, please reach the world with Your Son, Your Spirit, and Your Christlike love, which can only be exhibited by those of us who profess Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. Be with those far and near whose hearts are breaking from loss and uncertainty. We know that You can give comfort and peace like no other. Place Your representatives in the path of those burdened and downtrodden with a load of care. Please use them to encourage and lift high the name of Jesus Christ. I pray this in His name, the name above all names. Amen.
