My Tender-hearted God, we humans have many reasons for the anguish and grief we experience: The loss of health … the loss of a job … the loss of personal property … facing circumstances I cannot control … the end of a relationship … and, the loss of a loved one. While every loss creates a measure of anguish and grief, some losses hurt more deeply than others. Each of us deals with our losses differently and experience loss in different degrees. When we struggle with anguish and grief, we often display it in the form of anger, fear or dejection. Many times we find ourselves asking “why?” It is very natural for us to have questions we’d like answered. Your answers are sometimes easy to accept but, at other times, we struggle with them. Between the perfection You put into the creation of the world and our life with You in Heaven is a time during which pain, death and disappointment is found in abundance.
Still, we need not grieve as ones who have lost hope. In the empty tomb on Easter morning, You left a legacy of help, comfort and hope for our future. As we experience anguish and grief, we cannot allow it to destroy our faith or make us give up on You. While You welcome our questions, Your true concern is our welfare, meeting our needs and showing us how to live in victory. The concerns we have about our problems should not be allowed to drag us away from the One who loved us unto death. Our low estate should create ample opportunities for us to draw closer to You and learn more about Your character and holiness. While seeking our answers, we should cling to Your promises and trust that You will do what is best for us. No matter how great the suffering we encounter, it should not drown out the hope, help and comfort that You offer.
Even though it goes against my human nature, I must learn to be a passenger and let You take control of my life. Instead of wanting to control every situation and trust my instincts, I must allow You to take the controls so I can get to my destination with the least amount of conflict. In tough times, I find myself falling into a rut and not seeking Your to help in getting out. It is much easier to live in the past than to think about taking on new beginnings. Your invitation to “Follow me” is not meant to bring about a struggle, but to allow us to become liberated. By accepting Your leadership, I am agreeing to let go of my pain and anguish and accepting Your way to joy and peace. Trusting Your outstretched hand gives me the assurance that all things will work out for my good. These are the reasons I know that You will remove my anguish and replace it with comfort and joy. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Psalm 34:18 Lord, You are close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit.