The pain of others....

Man! It has been over two months since I have posted on my blog. Where did that time go??

What brings me back to my blog today is the pain of others. Why is it that the pain of others hurt more than your own?? Maybe it is because when I am going through something painful... I HAVE the peace that passes all understanding and the comfort of my Heavenly Father.... knowing that God loves me and has my best interest at heart.... but when I hurt for others.... I can't pass that along to them. I just have to sit back and hurt for them.

My brother is really going through a terrible time right now. His wife of 4 years left him about two weeks ago.... and this week he had to put his "best friend" to sleep because of an aggressive liver cancer... after having him for 12 years. Well... if that isn't enough to knock your feet out from underneath you.... I don't know what is. Watching him go through this is miserable for me. I don't want to lose my husband.... or my sweet dogs... but I would rather have to go through this myself than to watch him struggle through it. Isn't that the craziest thing??

God tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that....

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"

To me... that tells me that at the very moment of my weakness.... or pain.... that is when His grace is sufficient for me. Not three hours before.... not three hours later. That is why so often when we look at the life of others.... and wonder how in the world they can go through what they are going through... it is because His grace is sufficient at that moment for them... NOT us. Even when they seem to be handling things in such a gracious way.... watching them is so painful... because the grace is theirs for that moment.... not ours.

Thankfully the Bible has much to say about being brokenhearted...

Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds"

Isaiah 61:1 "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to
preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim
freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."

Each one of them speaks to the great care and love that God has for the brokenhearted. The last one.... Isaiah 61:1... is the job description for Jesus Christ. That is what He came here for.... to give us the good news... to bind up our brokenness... to free us from bondage... and bring us into His light.

That is something to be thankful for. Knowing that God's Word is 100% true... I am choosing to take that to the spiritual bank.

In Romans 12... the writer, Paul... gives us some instructions for living the christian life.... in verse 15 he says....

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."

So... in the meantime.... that is what I will do. Mourn with him as he mourns. Cry with him as he cries. Wait on God as he waits on God.

You know.... life sure is hard sometimes. But God's Word is true.... and God is always GOOD. And none of that depends upon our circumstances.... BUT on God himself.

You know... there is something else that I have realized recently. When you tell others of your pain... or the pain of your loved ones.... no one can really take on the full extent of the pain. It just rolls right off their backs. They don't mean for it too.... it just doesn't bring the same pain to their heart.

Proverbs 14:10 says this...

"Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy."

Each heart alone feels the extent of the burden. No one else can share in that... 100%. The only one that can feel the exact burden we have is Jesus himself. That would explain our intense need for Christ during such a heartbreaking time. He is the only one that can totally understand our pain... AND better yet.... He is the only one that can do something about it. He came to bind up our broken hearts.

This is how much God loves us.... and this is worth jumping up and down for.

Isaiah 43:1-4 in the Message

"But now, God's Message,
the God who make you in the first place, Jacob.
The One who got you started Israel:
Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you.
I've called your name. You are mine.
When you are in over your head, I'll be there with you.
When you are in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end--
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
all of Egypt, with rich Bush and Seba thrown in!
THAT'S how much you mean to me!
THAT'S how much I love you!
I'd sell off the whole world to get you back,
trade the creation just for you."

I just love that.... He would trade creation just for me... just for you... and just for my brother. And... sell off the whole world... now that is love. I am so thankful for the comfort that comes from knowing that He truly loves me... and my brother. So... in the meantime I will be waiting on the Lord.