I couldn’t have said this better myself.
Jesus said this: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
Jesus’ command was not to be mouthpieces of judgement to the world – but lights – pointing the way to God. And how? Through love.
If you are suffering through this storm, you are in the prayers of many, many people.
And I think this says it all:
Photo courtesy:
I leaned back in the wicker rocking chair – a favorite – the one with the brown and aqua quilt.
Linger. I want to linger here for as long as possible. The warm, scattered sunshine is soothing. Can I stay?
My eyes teared slightly at the leafless branches contrasting against royal blue – recalling a childhood memory of loving the sky.
The smells of autumn were unmistakable. The clean smell of Macintosh apples in a nearby bushel, the carpet of golden maple leaves soaking in the warm sun, and the damp earth preparing a resting place for frost-bitten hostas, salvia, and phlox.
And then one leaf…and another…gracefully floated to the ground to take its place among the others.
Seasons end, but another is waiting. Do we hang on to the old? Or do we anticipate the new?
Even in the midst of the cold and bitter winter, there is life. The wind plays with the snow, creating ripples of purple shadowed dunes while grand, lacy snowflakes rock gently to the earth – breathing life into our weariness.
The pain will end. But in its cold and bitterness, there is still life. Can you find it?
One reason people stay in their pain is because they don’t understand .. or believe .. that God is keeping track.
I’ve found great comfort knowing God said this:
But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.
God sees.
He comforts.
And one day, He will make it right.
Be careful you don’t stay in your pain too long.
Some people do not want to move on. They may resent the pain and in reaction to it, stay there and sulk.
Be careful of self-pity.
And misery … it does like company.
You may find yourself very alone.
Doesn’t the earth teach us that a long, dark night breaks with morning sunlight?
At some point, you have to welcome the light. How about today?
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Photo Credit: Luz Adriana Villa A.
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
– The Bible
It is very troubling to go through painful situations.
There is nothing you can do to prevent it.
You can learn to live with it. And the very best way to do that is to know God is with you.
The fact that God put a rainbow in the sky for a sign to all of us and telling us why it’s there, tells me He cares.
Sometimes, our life gets stormy.
Some people get angry at God because they say he lets bad things happen.
But what about the good things God lets happen? Are we thankful?
There is evil in the world. But there is also good.
So when things are really bad, remember that God gives us good, too.
Photo credit: ART LEWIS
Photo credit: blmiers2
You may feel you are hanging on by very little.
Hang on.
Don’t give up!
The morning was cloudy with light, misty rain. 
Normally, who would want to be outside?
Yet, the golds and reds of autumn painted against a gray sky created a kind of peaceful seclusion, isolating me from the rest of the world.
I love the feel of the rich, damp earth.
Orange, purple, and yellow tulip bulbs were carefully pressed down into the cool ground.
I leaned against the tree, thinking where I would plant an azalea. I looked around at the drooping vines, lifeless hostas, and scattered leaves on the chilled ground.
Then a thought came to me.
We feel happiness.
Why should we not feel pain?
If we feel pain, we are alive.
And being alive is wonderful.
Because on a dismal day you can plant a tulip bulb.
It will lay lifeless and dormant below the cold earth.
But it’s really alive. It’s just waiting for its moment.
You may have had an abortion.
Deep inside, you may wonder if it was right or wrong.
You may feel the emotional pain from terminating your pregnancy, even if you were okay with it at the time.
If you are struggling with having an abortion, I have something to tell you. God forgives. You may not think you did anything wrong to need forgiveness. But the fact you are feeling so miserable, or the abortion still haunts you after several years, you may be dealing with guilt.
We are limited in our human understanding – as amazing as we are! We are wired to be hurt by our actions. The 10 commandments are not to hurt us – but to help us. It’s like God telling us to avoid these things because you are fragile and it will end up hurting you.
But the good part is God is merciful. The Bible tells us so much about how God is compassionate toward us.
God is not punishing you. God loves you. And He wants more than you know to not feel the guilt. He forgives when we go to Him. And only He, the one who made you, is able to erase the past.
No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we can all offer support to those around us. Whether it’s a penny, a dollar, or much more, the act of giving always makes us feel as if we have more than we thought we had.
-Rabbi Brad Hirschfield
These 8 tips are not meant to diminish the pain we feel in life.
But I can tell you one thing that I know to be true: when you look to God for all you need, you will not be disappointed. He has all things in His hands. Only God offers peace and even joy when life brings us great sorrow. And only when you know Him in that way, can you trust Him – and be thankful.
when it hurts 