Too Hard

"It was too hard for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God." Psalm 73:16,17

Although this passage is referring to something totally different than what we may be going through specifically, it still makes sense that no matter what is happening in our lives, our understanding of it is never totally clear, but talking with God gives us the strength to go through it until we have the opportunity (one day) to get answers from Him.

I wrote the above response to a friend who was struggling with some family issues. She had told me she missed church - I think she was feeling guilty - so she had to qualify her absence. I encouraged her to try it out again as I really do feel that she would feel better and may even have some answers to her questions (supernaturally) if she did.

Immediately after emailing her this comment I received a note from another good friend who was experiencing pain in her family as well. The loss of a brother - not hers - but someone in her extended family. We both wondered how a mother deals with the loss of a child. Almost unbearable. Yet, somehow, one step at a time, people move through the fog into the daylight and sunshine once more. It is not easy but Time keeps marching on to its own beat.

Is it easier or harder to sit on the sidelines and watch the pain? Often when I am listening to the hurts of others, I feel like I am being weighed down one by one with their concerns too. Yet, whether knowingly or not, I feel the 'transfer of weight' from my shoulders to His when I pray. That may not feel like much to the sufferer when I share I am praying but somehow I think they feel better too - knowing someone else is sharing their concerns.

Anyway, just wanted to share with a few more people that we are never alone. We just need to look up!