Finding Hope Amidst The Pain: A Journey

There has been an advertisement going around our family. The place where we adopted Starburst is having a free adoption event for adult cats as they are overwhelmed. I keep looking at the swarm of cute faces and trying to decide which one I should go get, we need more animals in our lives. Now the rest of the family would disagree with this assessment and I don’t really care what they think. haha. I’m staring at one of our furry beasts right now who is trying to get outside to catch a chipmunk. He’s making all cutes sounds to try and lure his prey through the window, so far this attempt has not yielded any positive results.

I want to rescue all the animals. I want to give them all a home . Give them a place to be safe and sound. Alas, I do not have the space or resources to do this. I can’t help but think that is a bit of the Father’s heart in us. We see an animal that does not understand being alone (they are pack animals), cages, cement floors, etc. We see their confusion, their habits to console themselves, and sadness.

In many ways, I see physical and emotional pain playing the same role in our lives.

1. Pain can be isolating. With migraines and dizziness, I just want to rest my head on a pillow to make it all go away. I get very self focused as I try to guess what will alleviate and soothe. My brain keeps pushing me to go to all the things. Do all the things. My body cannot keep up. I miss events. I miss time with people. I miss life.
2. Pain can be confining. Whether it be grief, depression, physical pain, we can have thoughts that lie to us. People don’t understand. People don’t care. Nobody is going through what I am going through. I’m fascinated by how often these lies crop up, because they are lies.
3. Pain can drain us of our hope. My migraines usually start in the middle of the night and there is a game I play. Do I really need to get meds or will this go away? I never win this game. In grief or depression, which can co-mingle with physical pain, the ache feels as though it will go on forever.

Here’s the truth. GOD is so much greater and higher than our little minds can even understand. His compassion and faithfulness is so much more than our feeble attempts to save all the animals and humans. Yet, in his amazing plan, he includes us in his great plan. He uses our clay moldings and creates the Davids of the world. Who are we to say that he can’t use our present circumstances for his ultimate glory? Not only that, his presence in our lives is always our answer. He is our hope.

We need new windows in our house. The humidity is very high outside today and so our windows are all fogged over. It’s hard to see accurately what is going on outside our home. I can see blurred images. (This works well for a hyper little dog who believes dogs walking by, mailmen, plastic bags, etc are a constant threat to our safety and care.) This blurry view reminds me of when I operate in my feelings and make decisions while in them, rather than what I know to be the truth. God’s words. That’s it.

1. …for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. 6 Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Heb 13:5–6.
   • Friend, in our pain, God never leaves us. Your home may have empty chairs, but if you know the Lord and claim him as your Savior, these chairs are not empty. He is with you. His presence is your answer.
2. 8 Right away Jesus understood in His spirit that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He told the paralytic, 11 “I tell you: get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” Mk 2:8–11.
   • What the Lord understands vs what your family and friends understand has no comparison. Know that when you begin to worry about others’ thoughts and opinions, there is one who knows every thought and motivation of your heart. Yes, this passage is about healing, but I use it to remind you, you are known.
3. 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. Jn 14:15–18.
   • Here’s the truth. You have accepted the Lord as your Savior. You have the Counselor with you right now. My son has been wracking his mind trying to figure out his next steps. He received some hard news and it’s changed his plans for this next year. He sat on the couch yesterday saying, I just don’t know what to do. On my walk this morning, it hit me that he has the Spirit of truth right here with him. He knows what to do. Ergo, this is how we pray. We pray for the Spirit’s wisdom to guide his next steps, especially when fear grips our hearts and confusion scares us.
4. 5 Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 Jn 1:5–10.
   • Friend, when we find ourselves in a place because of others decisions, plans, and schemes, it may feel as though we are out of control. It may feel like our circumstances are being guided by another. Do not believe it. God is the light. In him, there is no darkness at all. Whatever is happening in your life, there is the author and creator of life who gave you life will not fail you. He will not. You will look back on this time in your life and know this. It may not feel like it now, but remember what that is..feeling. We run to the Father and lock in on the truth.

Peace, my friend. It’s only found in him. He is our rescue.