The old saying “when life gives you lemons make lemonade” used to be so trite to me. It always seemed to be a pat answer from happy-go-lucky people who didn’t have a lot of pain in life. Now I see things differently.
I’ve learned this: opportunity comes from pain.
These opportunities make something beautiful out of pain!
There’s two kinds of people. One type suffers in silence and the other type talks constantly about their suffering.
The silent type may or may not be so noble since silence isn’t always an indication of strength. Yet, the talkative type can wear people out. If you fall into this category, it may be because you are looking to people to fill a need that only God can fill.
Let me put it like this: we all need people. I process pain through talking it out. But if I find myself becoming resentful or angry when people are not available for me, that is a red flag. There is no human being that can possibly meet our every need. And if we attend church, sometimes we place expectations upon this as well.
The Apostle Paul tell us: “And my God will fully supply your every need…” This is not said by a man who didn’t face trouble. He suffered imprisonment, beatings, famine, and more. Yet, he had learned to trust God through these hardships – knowing God sees it all.
This is not to say that people shouldn’t help us. The Bible is clear that we should help each other. But sometimes the phone rings and no one answers. Sometimes our friend doesn’t really understand. Sometimes people don’t really care the way we want them to.
There is one who never sleeps. He is available every minute of every day. And you can talk constantly to Him because He doesn’t mind!
People let us down. God never lets us down.
Some memories are unwelcome, dark shadows that creep in without invitation. They make reliving the pain torturous.
If you are a victim of painful memories, there is hope. It is not a pat answer or a quick fix by any means. But you must know that God, the Creator of mankind, provides comfort and peace. The memory will not have access whenever it pleases when you learn that God will help you through your pain.
Ask Him. He hears every prayer. I promise.
You can be surrounded by people everyday and still feel alone.
The pain of loneliness is real. You may long for a husband, a wife, a baby, a friend. Maybe you never knew your mother or father. I have found the best remedy is to climb out of the loneliness pit and find someone to give to. Doing the opposite of what we are feeling works wonders!
Today, I noticed the gal at the register in my local grocery store looked sad. I have been feeling sad myself the last couple of weeks. I made it a point to admire her long, wavy, dark red hair. I didn’t feel like talking but I did. Her face lit up. Who knows what is going on in her life? But I made a difference. And when I walked away I was smiling.
It really is better to give than receive. And do you know that’s what the Bible is primarily about? God telling us to do the opposite of what we would normally want to do. He knows what works the best for us.
Reach out to someone who is lonely today!
What does it mean to know God? Can one know God?
For centuries, religion has made God seem distant and mysterious. But when you read the Bible, you find that God tells us he is very near to us. That’s good news, especially for people who are hurting.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34
If you have only known God to be unreachable, detached, distant, or mysterious, today is your day to know He is not any of those things. You can know all about Him!
Joy is not happiness. Although, happiness can come from joy.
Joy is a constant light that is not too bright nor too dim. It burns steadily in your soul and keeps you balanced. It is not hindered by the extremes of emotions. Joy can be felt in the midst of sorrow.
Sudden and unexpected tragedy causes serious pain and heartache. But God has provided joy to overcome the sorrow. It is the bulwark that keeps the sorrow from overtaking you.
Whether you believe in God or not, you may have already experienced the joy I am writing about today. That’s because God has given it to all.
Let joy be your strength today!
Your pain can be turned into inspiration for someone else.
Typically, we either end up as lifelong victims or victors in our circumstances. Understand, I am not minimizing pain. It’s important to go through the process of pain but you can’t stay there. It’s also unhealthy to act as if everything is okay and not ever face it. But in time, your pain can be turned into inspiration for others – and it helps heal your pain.
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), was organized by a mother who’s 13 year old daughter was killed by a drunk driver. The mother’s pain was helped through helping others.
After the abduction and brutally murder of his son, John Walsh founded the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, dedicated to legislative reform. His organization later merged with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The father’s pain helped others and it helped his, too.
You may find it helps to create an organization or group in your community. You may write a book. Or you may do none of the above and find great healing and comfort just in conversation with people you come in contact with. Large scale or small scale, it’s not about the size. It’s about you being able to eventually look up from your pain and help someone else. I promise you, it makes all the difference to them – and for you.
Be an inspiration!
Our bodies have an amazing ability to heal. Sometimes it needs help with medication, but what a marvelous process to watch how new skin replaces a cut finger, or how a broken bone mends and become usable again.
Broken hearts are real and not always seen by others. That’s what makes it more difficult.
Their insults have broken my heart and I am so sick. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. Psalm 69:20
God has not given our physical bodies a way to heal and not our emotions. Talk to God about what hurts. He will not only comfort you, but he will heal your broken heart in time.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Grief doesn’t only come from death. It comes from all kinds of loss that brings deep pain. Divorce, illness, abuse, failure … all are reasons we grieve. People need time to grieve and the best thing we can do is give them all the time they need.
After the death of my son, I learned that grief was not a straight shot but like a spiral staircase. In other words, each day is not better and better until you reach the goal of “new normal”. It is more like some good days, a bad day or two, more good days, and bad again. It’s like going up a staircase and then going back a few steps. This is the healthy way to grieve. If you rush it too much, it seems as if sadness gets buried and comes out later in unsuspecting ways.
Don’t be afraid to grieve. It is a natural process that takes time. Our culture is so productive and goal oriented, we expect too much from ourselves and others. Take the time to go through the process of grief. You will be better off in the end than if you rushed yourself along.
The sun will shine again. I promise!
We have dreams. We work hard. We succeed. We fail.
Failure isn’t the end. It may be the beginning! After 5 years of writing and 3 1/2 years of rejection letters, Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, finally received an acceptance at her 60th try! The book was on the New York Times Best Seller list for 100 weeks. Last year, it became a movie.
You’re human. We make mistakes. God figured that into the equation.
If you are feeling the pain of failure, there is life beyond the moment you are in. Please, don’t give up. You don’t know what tomorrow will bring!
when it hurts 