Cry Out To Jesus

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He'll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus
~"Cry Out To Jesus" by Third Day


Grieving is a process we go through when we feel loss in our lives.  Although we associate grieving with loss of a loved one, grieving also takes place when we feel any loss in our lives.  Examples of this would be loss of dream, a relationship, a job, an illness, the list goes on. Change can cause us to grieve, even when we know that it is a good change; it still causes us to leave our comfort zone.

How do you deal with grief?  Do you try to stay overly busy and avoid feeling it?  Do you sink into the depths of despair?  Do you get angry and look for someone to blame?  All of these are normal reactions to grief.  So what is the best way to get through it?  What does God have to say about this?  The Word, and reaching harder and more often to Him helps me the most.  Below I will share some of the passages that speak to me about grieving.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you, he will never let the righteous fall" Psalm 55:22.
"Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and .   learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Matthew 11:25-30.

What these passages say to me is that we are to bring our grief to the Lord, and he will take it on himself. The emotions and reactions that weigh us down will be lifted from us when we ask Jesus to do so.  Although the grieving process is still there, it isn't as difficult to bear.

"Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
"Do you not know, have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:18-31
"The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on her ruins, he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing."  Isaiah 51:3

What do these passages say to you?  What they say to me is that there is hope, that God has compassion for us and that He will make us even better than before.  It is easy to reach for what is physically near us, but our true comfort and hope lies with our God.  I try to remember and think of him as "my God"; He cares that much for me.  It is hard when we want immediate feelings of relief to go to Him, since sometimes his answers take some time to see.  When I take the time and make it a priority, going to Him in prayer and in the Word ultimately is the most healing and comforting of all.  What passages speak to you and provide the most comfort and hope to you?

He Is Strong In Our Weakness

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.   ~2 Corinthians 8-10

Feelings of weakness and vulnerability are very difficult for me to handle.  I want to feel on top of my game, like I have things under control!  In the above passage the apostle Paul is talking about the "thorn" that God left him with.  Many speculate as to what that thorn might be, but one thing is clear.  It left him weak, taught Him to depend on God in a whole different way, and to always know how small he was and how large God is.  It gave him humility.

What does this mean to you and I?  What did it mean to Paul, who was one of God's chosen ones?  Although I do not have to choose to wear a label, I believe God wants me to be transparent, to let people see the weaknesses I want so much to cover up.  I think there is no better testimony to others of the power of Christ than for people to see him working in our lives, and yes in our weakness, in which He is strong.

What do you think?

Let The Light Shine Through

"So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them"

From "Stained Glass Masquerade"
by Casting Crowns

It never ceases to amaze me the way each time I open up with someone about something in my life that I normally keep private, the person I shared it with will often make a similarly surprising revelation.  In those too often infrequent exchanges we learn who the real person is beneath the protective veneer that so many of us hide behind.  One wonders if everyone is playing a part, how do we ever really get to know each other?  How can one love anything more than the surface person they're able to see?  Even more so, how can one feel loved when people aren't loving them but a veneer that does not reflect the inside.

As children of God, The Almighty loves us just as we are.  After all, he created us and made each of us a unique individual with our own strengths, weaknesses and talents.  For those of us who have a mental illness or love someone who does, we need to remember that God loves us completely and unconditionally! There is nothing to be ashamed of. We may each have our own set of challenges, but with Jesus in our hearts, he can shine through us to others.  The only way to do that is to stop hiding and give God the reins.  He will give us what we need to get where he wants us to be, according to his will. 

My favorite part of being in a support group and small group in church is seeing people open up and let others in.  I feel so much more comfortable when I can see a person's human or vulnerable side;  the one that makes as many mistakes and feels as insecure as I do sometimes.  As the stanza above states, "I will play the part again, so everyone sees me the way I see them."  Where does the roleplaying end?  When someone who cares asks how we are, why not tell the truth?  I have always found that what speaks of my Christianity more than anything, isn't what I say, nor is it hiding behind a mask and appearing to be something I'm not. What speaks to people the most is what I allow people to see, the mistakes, thee problems and the ways Jesus sees me through the really hard times. When people allow me a glimpse of Jesus in them, and the grace by which He does bring them through it reinforces my own faith.  I only hope that I can do that for others.

I have such a long way to go.  I walk in mercy and grace with Jesus in me.  My God is everything good in me and has given me everything good in my life. Looking back, I think that the weird or strange kids were really just willing to drop the veneer. I think I can safely that I am "cracked,” and I hope to always allow the light of Jesus to shine through my many cracks.  I can trust Him, he knows the best way.  

Letter From God

My Dear Child,

I see your struggles. I feel your pain.  I know you get angry with me for not taking the illness away.  I know how much it hurts when you the world rejects you and turns away from you because of your circumstances.  My Son went through the same thing.  When you feel alone, know that you are never alone.  All you have to do is ask, and I will hold your hand and walk with you.  When you need me, I will carry you.  Come to me and I will dry your tears and ease your pain.  I will lighten your load, if only you let me.

My child, you cannot fix everything, it is not your job.  You cannot will things away.  I am here for that too.

Please remember, that I made each one of my children exactly as I intended.  I love you and accept you the way you are.  I just wait for you to ask me to help.  I know your every thought and desire; I know your heart.  I have a perfect plan for you and though it may not look like your own, it is a much better one.  I can see things that you cannot, and I know things that you may never know.  It is okay to question me, but please trust me!  I am your Father and I will not let you down.  You can lean on me and depend on me.

Yes, child, you have your work to do.  I see how hard you try and that is important.  I can help you to become the best and get the farthest if only you believe.  Know that when I let you go through the valleys it is to teach you, to foster your growth and to build your strength.  I know what is best for you.

My child, do not be ashamed, for you are a child of God.  You are mine and you are loved by the most High.  I will always be here and I will always love you with the Agape love that you will not find anywhere else; so rest in me.

With love from your Heavenly Father,

God

Be Still

We've been running without a direction

We're afraid to get there late

What we need is the strength

To just kneel down and wait

Be still and know he, know he is holy
Be still and know He is God
Love him more dearly, see him more clearly
Be still and know He is God

from "Be Still" by the Steve Taylor and Peter Furler
performed by The Newsboys

It is so hard to be still.  Our society in general seems to run in a fast, hurried pace.  Keeping busy is a great way to deal with problems, or is it?  While it's so important not to dwell on our problems, avoiding them through activity isn't healthy either.  What happens to all those unaddressed thoughts, feelings and worries?   The answer is we stuff them inside.  When we eventually do think about them, how many times do we  choose to lay them at His feet?  How can we really grow closer to God if we don't have our quiet time with Him?  How do we really depend on Him if we're not still enough to hear Him?

We work so hard to do the right things.  We pray unceasingly and ask others to pray for us.  We read the Bible, devotionals, and other inspirational literature.  These are all very important in our walk.  We definitely need to be doing these things.  My question is when we pray for things like peace, strength and answers, how can we receive them if we're not still?  Someone once told me that we need to make our prayers shorter and give equal time to being quiet.  This is very difficult for me, but when I can do it, it works! 

When I had a long drive to work, I used to play the Christian station on the radio and sing along with the songs I knew.  I would also talk to God (when I wasn't on my cell phone-I just told on myself!)  The problem was that so many times, I didn't leave time for an answer.  I believe that hearing a word from God can manifest in moments when you unexpectedly change your mindset or have thoughts and do not know from where they came. I love when I feel peace just wash over me like a spring shower. My wish for you is to feel that calm, inner peace: the peace that knows no understanding.  

For those of you who don't truly have a quiet time, I challenge you to try it.  Even 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference.

"Be stll and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10