Dear Friend,
I know two girls who are hurting. Their names are Ellie and Deanna. Both are beautiful, young ladies who have been broken. The ones who should have loved them most have destroyed their trust, and they are left alone without hope. Their smiles are gone, and depression has laid hold of their hearts.
I wish I could hug Ellie and Deanna and tell them that someone loves them. Tell them that there’s still hope. But I can’t; I have no way to share my heart with them. I only wish I could get in contact with them, but all I can do is pray. And I do. I pray for them, yet I wish I could do something more.
I can’t reach Ellie or Deanna. I can’t help them, encourage them, or love them. But maybe I can touch your life, whoever and wherever you are, dear reader. And maybe I can touch the lives of others around me.
So if you’re hurting and alone, this is what I want you to hear. This is what I wish I could tell Ellie and Deanna.
You are not alone.
You are loved.
You are treasured.
You were bought with a price.
Bad things happen to all of us. They hurt. They sting. They break us. Sometimes we feel like we’re grasping at the wind as hope slips through our fingers. People betray us and trample on our hearts. Those we love are stolen away forever, and the future looks dark.
But we don’t have to go through trials alone. Jesus is with us, even if we can’t hear His voice or feel His hands. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
Today I heard His comforting voice through Isaiah 30.
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” – v.15
“For the Lord is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.” – v.18
“You shall weep no more.
He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry;
When He hears it, He will answer you.” – v.19
“…in the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people
And heals the stroke of their wound.” – v. 26
Dear friend, wait on the Lord. Trust Him and rest in His strength. He will give you strength, wipe away your tears, answer your desperate prayers, and heal your wounds. You might not see the answers immediately or even in your lifetime, but He has a plan and purpose in this pain.
Wait.
Trust.
Rest.
“Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14
"...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer."–Romans 12:12
We can have hope in trials because of God's promises! Having hope is to believe, desire, and trust in the One who loves us. Believe that He has a plan, desire to know Him better and to seek His will, and trust in His loving kindness.
I have a challenge for you.
People are hurting out there. The world is full of bitterness and discouragement, but we can make a difference.
I have a challenge for you.
People are hurting out there. The world is full of bitterness and discouragement, but we can make a difference.
Maybe you know someone like Ellie or Deanna. Or maybe you think you don’t. Guess what?Every person you come in contact with could use some encouragement. There’s no one who doesn’t appreciate a helping hand or loving word.
So make a difference this summer and beyond. Send someone God’s message of hope. Tell someone they are loved. Write a letter, an email, a text message, or talk to them in person. Point them towards Christ.
If you’re hurting, know that I love you. Christ loves you even more; you’re never alone.
Now go – love someone else, and make them smile.
“I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me…
…Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:1-2, 5b.
How are you going to bring God's hope to the hopeless and make a difference in someone's life? Comment below!
Greta post! It only takes a spark to ignite a flame... so why can't we be that flame of hope in someone's life? 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that three things remain, one of those is hope. Jesus is where true hope is found. He is the only one we can have hope in without being disappointed.
ReplyDeleteKeep shining for Jesus :)
That's a good analogy, Sarah. It makes me think...maybe we're like those sparklers that shoot out sparks rapidly but fade in a handful of minutes. We have a short life here on earth so let's share as many sparks as possible while we still have time!
DeleteThat's a great verse! Faith...hope...love. All three are so important, and they rest entirely on Christ. We can only have faith, hope, and love in Him. ♥ Thank you, Sarah! Keep throwing your sparks to the world. =)
OHMAN. *clutches heart* How do you always post so many awesome posts?? *cough* Oh yeah. *points up* *cough* xD
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, this was great. And yeah, this world is hurting. I remember last December we were handing out cookies around the neighborhood, and it wasn't going very well at first--in fact, it was kind of stressful. But at the third house we went to, the lady there was so very sweet and kind--made me want to cry. And she had no idea what we had been going through, she was just being sweet and kind! A lot of people try and hide what they are going through, for whatever reason, but what is there to lose by stepping out and living out our faith through love? (really, if we've given our lives to Christ, we have absolutely nothing to lose! Pretty freeing to think about, huh? ;))
There is an amazing blogger lady who e-mailed me recently because I was asking how to pray for her (here is the link to her blog: http://www.linnysaunders.com/--GO READ IT NOW xD). She recently was very sick and near death, but she is recovering well. I haven't e-mailed her back yet, but hopefully it'll encourage her if I e-mail her today! ^_^
-Ariel
*points up with you* Yup, Ariel. ;)
DeleteExactly. Everyone is hurting at some point in their life; no one is free from disappointment. And, as you said, what is there to lose by stepping out in love? We worry so much about what others might think of us, but what if we instead "worried" about others? What if we thought of their needs before our own? Even simple things (complements, a bouquet of flowers, a hug, a prayer) can make a difference.
That's a lovely way to be an encouragement. =) Did you do it?? I looked over her blog, and she seems like an amazing women! How special to have adopted so many children and many with disabilities! And she continues to bless others through her blog; it appears to me that she's following God's plan to make a difference in her side of the world. ♥ What a good example to us younger ladies. =)
So Ariel. How are you going to continue making a difference right now, today? =)
You said that you wished you could do more than just pray for those girls, but prayer is the most powerful tool you have! More powerful than any of us could imagine. Don't think that you aren't doing enough for Ellie and Deanna if all you can do is pray. I feel that way sometimes too, and it can be hard to remember just how powerful a simple little prayer is when spoken from the heart :) Even if you can't reach out to them in person, reaching out to them through prayer is just as effective. Thank you so much for the moving post, Hosanna. All the glory to Jesus!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me of that, Delilah! That thought came to mind while writing this post. I know that prayer is a powerful weapon...but it's hard to really know it in my heart sometimes. I think it's easier to trust our own efforts instead of trusting His. How shallow-minded!
DeleteI think we need to have a harmony of both. We should pray for those who are hurting but also lend loving hands. But, in Ellie and Deanna's case, all I can do is pray. And that's enough.
I appreciate your encouragement so much! This is part of the reason why I like having a blog - you girls are always there to challenge, encourage, and uplift. Thank you! *hugs*
I was encouraged just by reading this post, Hosanna! Thank you for the inspiration to share our Hope with others. ♥
ReplyDeleteOh good, Emily; I'm so glad it encouraged you. =) God has blessed us in so many ways, but we often forget to turn that around and bless others. I encourage you to think of ways you can make a difference in the lives of those around you. God placed you right where you are for a reason! =)
DeleteThat was beautiful! I've been in this situation too, where you can see someone is hurting but you feel powerless to help. (Although I shouldn't say powerless, because prayer is so powerful.) And thanks for the challenge too. Lately I've been busy with commitments, and I haven't taken very much time to reach out to other to let them know they're loved - so it's timely reminder for me.
ReplyDeleteI have been meaning to comment on about your last three posts, but lets say, you're more efficient at posting than I am at commenting! :( Anyway, I still read and appreciate them all, so you know. :)
Yes Jessica, prayer is powerful...but so often I fail to remember that. Sometimes it's easier to trust myself to bring comfort instead of Him. =/ But we need both - to extend loving hands but also to love others through prayer and let Him do what He does best. ♥
DeleteYou don't know how often I'm writing up a late post on Monday night though. xD (thankfully I'm caught up...for now) I really appreciate your comments, and I understand that you're busy. I've been very behind in commenting on other blogs as well; life just flies by so quickly. But thank you for your kind words. Keep on sharing His love, my friend!