HANDLING PAIN AND DIFFICULTY

HANDLING PAIN AND DIFFICULTY

 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea; therefore my words have been rash. —Job 6:3

 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. —Job 7:11

             Feel Job’s pain. The weight of hurt he is carrying. He just lost all his animals, his livelihood. All his children died at the same time in a catastrophic even.   His wife encouraged him to curse God and then die —exactly what Satan wanted Job to do!

            Job acknowledged that he is speaking rash.   He was speaking impulsively out of his sorrow. Some of the things he said were foolish and reckless. Sensibility had been impacted by his great grief. He was not restraining what he had to say. It is out of anguish and bitterness that he was speaking. He was not thinking right.

            Do you know someone who is going through grief?   Do not be surprised at some of the things they may say, but not mean. They are speaking out of the difficulty they are in and not thinking clearly. It is the pain that is promoting their punctuation of words and feelings and even their actions.

            Listen! Listen to them. Be with them. Speak rarely and with wisdom. Empathize with them. Yes, there are Biblical answers and speak those when appropriate with gentleness and loving-kindness, softly and quiet. Be an island of comfort for them, seeking to meet them where they are at and letting them know you are there for them.

            Oh, that we would have brothers and sisters that would be like this for us. Comforters… encouragers… helpers… companions and friends. Let us be like this to those suffering hardship of any sort.   Dear Father may this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Dear Son, Jesus. So be it!

            “A pastor was disillusioned with ministry.   He drove his truck to his office at the church building and tossed all his books in the back, went to the dump and threw them all out. When he went home he told his wife want he had done. When she saw his great sorrow she did not reprimand him. Instead she encouraged him to rest on her faith while going through this valley. He did and eventually came out of that valley.” May we have those who will walk through the valleys with us. Going through a valley… let someone know.

            I do portfolio exit interviews for a local high school each year. This took place a couple nights ago. One of the students had written how she had experience anxiety and stress in high school.   I asked her what caused the anxiety and stress. She told me and the team of interviewers I was with. When I asked her what she would say to an incoming freshman that was dealing with stress and anxiety she said, “I kept it to myself and worked through it myself.” I was saddened by her answer and what she would say to an incoming freshman. We are not meant to work through difficulties by ourselves— especially in the Body of Christ.

            In the church, the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ we are supposed to be interdependent. If we are going through something, experiencing difficulties we should let others know in the Body. That is what we are here for. If we know of others going through difficulty we should be connecting with them. May it be so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsQmsEE_2-s