I loved every word of this article.
I especially loved it because I believe it helps explain why so many do not attend church.
They expect more.
Isn’t it the one place to be most welcomed, most valued, most loved?
Instead, too many have too much to say and it pushes people away. How easy it is for confidence to become prideful.
There should be less talking and more listening.
Go easy. Life is hard. Everyone is dealing with something.
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When we pray and it doesn’t happen, we assume God didn’t hear.
Or at the very worst, he doesn’t care.
Sometimes we have to take a step back and think about how small we are in comparison to the universe. The blue planet is suspended on nothing we can see. But there is an unseen force holding earth – and us – in place.
We are specks. And it’s almost humorous how big we think we are.
We shake our fist at God, we demand answers, we hold him accountable when everything goes wrong.
And yet, he understands.
And yet, he loves.
A father or mother can love a child who does all of the above.
God’s love is greater.
If we continue to demand and shake our fist, we only hurt ourselves and those around us. Yet, he lets us feel all the emotions of pain.
In fact, God feels our pain.
God heard your prayer because God hears.
It’s been said, God did hear your prayer. He said no. That platitude deserves the scorn it gets.
God doesn’t give us pat answers. People do.
Pain deserves understanding, compassion, and time.
God hears because he is with us when we’re in pain.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
We will never understand everything in life, but we understand enough. God wired us to find comfort with him if we want to.
For awhile, you may not want his comfort. You are angry at him for not intervening, not fixing the problem, and allowing pain and death.
One day, God promises to make it right. Then we will understand.
But for now, we do not.
You might not be ready to hear it now, but God is the one who you need during pain.
Everything else we try in order to cope and to ease the pain is temporary.
You will find that out. God watches and waits. He is with you even if you don’t feel it.
Answered prayer is a time of happiness.
Unanswered prayer is a time of sadness.
God is with us in the happy times. God is with us in the sad times.
God hears.
Some ask how God is good when things are bad.
When the pain is so deep and the emptiness so great, words meant to comfort are hollow.
Your heart is so wounded, so empty, there is nowhere for the words to settle.
We want to be left alone in our pain. We want to submit to its power and let it sweep us away because it’s better than trying to live.
Still, the Bible says God is good.
Will you see it?
God made us able to endure suffering. You may not feel it right away, but it will come at the right time.
No matter who you are, where you come from, what you believe – it doesn’t matter. We are all given the ability to choose.
Some call it the human spirit. Some call it faith. Either way, it is God who gives us courage, strength, endurance and joy – yes, even joy – hidden deeply within every one of us. We only find it when we are faced with needing it.
There will come a moment when you feel it. An unfamiliar sensation coaxing you up out the pit of darkness and despair. And you will push it aside because you don’t want it.
But God is patient.
You say, “But she has always been optimistic and good-natured. It’s easier for her”.
While it’s true we might think some have an advantage, we are all at the same starting point when it comes to pain. Even the most pessimistic or distrustful among us can be encouraged and inspired when we see someone overcoming pain. You don’t try to copy or pretend what you are not. You choose to believe somewhere inside, you have what they have. It might look different, but it’s there.
Because God is good.
And that is the starting point for the healing of your heart. Saying it, accepting it, and believing it for the truth it is.
You don’t have to work at it. God does the rest.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
– The Bible
when it hurts 