My Tenderhearted Lord, we humans have many reasons for the anguish and grief we bear: The loss of a job, the loss of personal property, the struggle with problems, the end of a marriage and the death of a loved one. While every loss creates a degree of anguish and emptiness, some losses hurt much more deeply. Each of us grieves differently and to different degrees. We may also find ourselves asking You “why?” It’s very natural for us to have questions we’d like for You to answer. Your answers may be ones that comfort us or they may be ones we struggle with. Our suffering, pain and loss result from our brokenness, the consequences of our mistakes and the fallen condition of the world around us. Between the perfection You gave us in the creation and the perfection that now can only be found in Heaven is the chasm of time in which pain, death and grief can be found in abundance.
Still we need not grieve as ones who have no hope. In the empty tomb, Jesus left us with the hope of a better life filled with His help, comfort and understanding. As we sometimes find ourselves bound up in anguish, we cannot allow it to destroy our faith or make us give up on You. While You welcome our questions and want us to cast our cares on You, You want us to trust You and Your desire to meet all of our needs. The circumstances that cause us to suffer loss should not draw us away from You … the One who loved even unto death. Our low places should give us ample opportunities to draw closer to You and learn more about Your love and compassion. While we all undergo our struggles of faith, we should remember to hold on to Your promises and trust that You will do what is best for us. Whatever causes our anguish and grief should never be allowed to diminish our hope and commitment to You.
I must learn to resist my human nature and become a passenger as You drive the direction of my life. Instead of wanting control and trusting my instincts, I must be willing to let You take away my pain and show me Your purpose into my life. When burdened, I often find myself bogged down in a rut and unable to find my way out. I find it much easier to live in the past than to think about taking on new beginnings. Your goal is to help me out of my struggles. Your invitation to “Follow me” is meant to be liberating. By following You, I’m empowered by Your grace to approach the new things in my life with energy and joy. Reaching out to Your outstretched hand gives me peace and assures me that things in my future will work out for my good. These are my reasons for knowing that when my burdens begin to drag me down, I can count on You to lift me up. 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.