Words Aren't Enough

Day 23 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

Yesterday I blogged about our life being like a race, we will all cross the finish line at some point.

I have a heavy heart today. Three of our church families are suffering pain from deaths that occurred this week and another family from the loss of their husband/father that happened last month. A very dear friend lost her sixty-four-year-old sister, another member’s eight-year-old son died of pneumonia and another family lost their four-month-old daughter to SIDS.

All those who crossed the finish line this week, were sudden, there were no prolonged illnesses. Death can make its appearance that way. It is not required to send us notice that it is showing up.

The pain they are experiencing is their pain; we can’t compare ours to theirs.

We are at a loss for words when we see these families but that is okay. Hugging and sharing tears can be better than a fountain of words that wound more than heal.

We have the comfort that each of these are in their eternal home in heaven and we who have chosen to believe Acts 16:30-31 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They relied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…  will be reunited with them for eternity.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:7 NLT

Overwhelmed

Overwhelm: Swamp, submerge, engulf, bury, deluge, flood, inundate, overcome.


Listen to people and their stories: Long term illness, divorce, financial devastation, cancer, job loss, loss of homes, death. It’s overwhelming to our emotions.

Today I came to the realization that this is where I am at.

When overwhelmed I withdraw. I withdraw from seeing people and speaking to them on the phone. If I keep myself from being around people I won’t hear their story and it won’t be added to the overwhelming weight I already feel.

Why do I feel the weight of other’s problems? Because God has put a love in my heart for people. When they hurt, I hurt. I want to remove that hurt and I can’t, I wasn’t made to, that is God’s job. But that doesn’t stop the ache in my heart.

I feel helpless when all I can offer are a few words; however, I may be overlooking a very powerful tool. Maybe at the moment I am in their presence a few words, given by the Holy Spirit through me, is all they need to get through another burdensome day. So if I am withdrawing from contact with people am I adding to their burden? Maybe, if God intended to use me in their life that day.

Does this possibility cause me to desire to run out and find people? No. I want to protect my heart. It’s selfish I know. Forgive me for this but at times my heart feels like it is hemorrhaging. I could blame God for this pain, He made me this way but He knew what He was doing when He gave me a soft heart.
Psalm 33:12-15 The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.

For all my family, friends, and those I have never met, who are going through sorrows my heart cries for you. I desire you to be at the end of your trial, I long for you to have the victory that you are battling for, I cry out for you to have wholeness.

1 Peter 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

Only “for a Little While.”

Photo: MorgueFile