Throughout life's journey we experience pain and affliction on many levels. Some are deep relationship hurts due to our actions, others are feelings of worthlessness brought upon us with the loss of work and a meaningful purpose in life.
Pain meets us deep in our psyche through the dark hallways of depression and rests heavy on us when our bodies are broken down by sickness. As human beings we are no strangers to pain and the uncertainty and weariness that it causes.
Affliction and pain not only tear away at our body and mind, but it draws us outside of community until we find ourselves suffering alone. This space of isolation becomes the moment where death seems close at hand...we feel cut off from loved ones and forsaken by our Creator.
In this state the true nature of our self is tested, along with how we view God (who we believe God to be). If, in our darkest hour in which hope is dead, we believe God to be tired of us and ambivalent to our plight then hope is certainly dead.
Yet if the Scriptures are true, and Jesus' description of God's character accurate, then maybe we can begin view God as a caring father who is good to his children. With that understanding of God's nature, regardless of how dark and painful life may be, hope has the opportunity to be resurrected.
Who in your life needs to be reminded that God is loving and good? How can you reflect God's loving and caring nature to them in the midst of pain and darkness?
