No one likes pain. We don’t want to go through painful situations-divorce, financial problems, illness, loss. We have a tendency to expect God to just take the pain away.to…“fix” it. Pray certainly….pray without ceasing….the bible tells us that in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. But while you’re in the middle of the soup—no matter what that pain is from, remember Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane before he was taken away. He was praying to his dad to take that pain away too. (read Luke 22:42) I’m thankful God didn’t “fix” the situation. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m in no way thankful Jesus suffered an excruciating death. I’m just thankful that God showed us that he doesn’t play favorites. He allowed his own son to go through pain because He knew the plan. Jesus had to go through it so God could be glorified, and we would get the benefits of forgiveness and salvation.
But Jesus wasn’t alone in the garden. Well, yes, he had his sleepy sidekicks but it tells us in Luke 22:43 that an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.
John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble.” Jesus says, “Trouble…that’s a given.” We all get to live in the soup occasionally but remember – Pray – you have a helper – an advocate – a teacher and reminder with you….the Holy Spirit. He will strengthen you just as the angel did for Jesus to help you through this mountain (not AROUND it AGAIN). Look to Jesus. God allowed his own son to go “through” pain. In Jesus’ case the Glory came to Him AFTER his death. But in the middle remember Jesus’ words in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my perfect Peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
My Grandma and I were very close. I think every Saturday morning from the day I was born until Layne and I moved to California in 1985 was spent around grandmas’ kitchen table playing cards and drinking instant coffee heated in the microwave. Countless hours were spent making sure we had everyone in the family “squared away” (in other words, we basically solved all the family problems at that table just to come back the next week and fix them again.) After Layne and I got married, we moved to California for a short time. Gram and I started writing each other. Once a week each of us would get a letter in lieu of our Saturday morning visits. Yes, I do mean a letter (paper and pen you know??…envelope and stamp??) We moved back to Nebraska in 1987 and we were back into our Saturday morning coffees again (with a couple extra kids in tow). In December 1999, our family moved to Tennessee and grandma got pretty sick and had a few bouts in the hospital. I know the pain of when someone you love is hurting and you can’t financially or physically get to them. I got off the phone with my mom who called with a grim update of grandma and immediately prayed for God to send Gram an angel to comfort her. The next night my mom called back and said after she talked to me last night, Gram started hallucinating. They thought she was seeing things. She kept saying, “Do you see those two angels? They’re sitting right over there.” I called my brother Joel and told him that I’d asked God to send Gram an angel yesterday but she was seeing two angels. That’s when my brother said, “Judy, I prayed the same prayer. I asked God to send her and angel last night, too!” What an amazing God we serve! He constantly reminds me he not only loves me but he cares for me and hears me when I call him.
Psalm 86:17 Give me a sign of your goodness…for you, Lord have helped me and comforted me.
Living to hear six means you know that through any crappy situation, God is right beside you….in charge and helping you work your way through it. Be confident. Be encouraged and encourage others. You are not alone.
