When Life Is Heavy and Hard to Take

When Life Is Heavy and Hard to Take

When Life Is Heavy and Hard to TakeI am utterly thankful that the Bible includes Lamentations. Just as life in general spiritual life is not always sunshine and smooth sailing. When life is heavy and hard to take, you don’t need to hide from God. Actually, that is exactly when you most need Christ. With the words of Jesus: “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit.” (Mark 2:17, MSG)

God sent his only son to the world precisely because we all need healing. And only God’s grace can cure us. But that grace is more powerful than anything in the universe.

But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. (Romans 5:20, MSG)

Because of Christ we are always more than welcome into God’s presence. Whether it is time to whistle hymns or cry our heart out. Spiritual life includes both joyful doxology and loud lament. There is a time to weep and there is a time to laugh. No matter what is going on in our lives we can be certain that God is waiting to hear from us. And especially when our hearts are broken and we don’t have anywhere else to go. Because when life is heavy and hard to take, there is no better place to be than in God’s loving embrace.

When life is heavy and hard to take,
    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
    Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
    The “worst” is never the worst.
(Lamentations 3:28-30, MSG)

There is a time for questions and a time for silence. When we don’t understand what is going on in our lives, we can just trust God and keep a grip on hope. God does not ask us to comprehend. God asks us to trust him. God’s ways are not like our ways and there is no way we could comprehend everything. Hence when there’s no answers, just lean on God. Wait for hope to appear. Because suffering and sorrow won’t last forever. But God does. And his love and mercy are new every morning. Thanks be to God!

 

Gracious God,
Thank you that we are always welcome into your presence.
Thank you that you want to spend time with us.
Thank you that we don’t need to fake anything.
Thank you that you love authenticity.
Thank you that you are always with us.
Thank you that you will carry us through tough times.
Thank you for loving us unconditionally.
Thank you that you are everlasting.
Thank you that your mercy is new every morning.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: How has God helped you to deal with sorrow or suffering?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you seek God no matter of what!

Giving thanks today for
#871 Sorrow and suffering are not everlasting
#872 God is everlasting
#873 God’s mercy is new every morning
#874 Spiritual life includes lament
#875 God wants authenticity
#876 grace is more powerful than anything
#877 we don’t need to comprehend everything
#878 hope is everlasting
#879 God’s loving embrace is the best place to be
#880 God does not fail us.
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Photo courtesy of Leah Deal. Linking up today with Linking up today with What’s on Your Heart Tuesdays, Wordfilled Wednesday, All Things Heart & Home ,God-Bumps and God-incidences ,Work in Progress, and

20 thoughts on “When Life Is Heavy and Hard to Take

  1. Beautiful, Mari-Anna. My heart grieves over a personal issue right now, and I need to be still in His presence so His healing can move in and cover me. Thank you so much for sharing the Lamentations verse.
    Hugs from VA,
    Susan

  2. I certainly am grappling with what you are writing about here today, Mari-Anna. I’m trusting God but have been thrown off kilter somewhat by some recent events. I want to trust Him more and your post is helping, my friend!

  3. Sometimes I feel like the suffering times have lasted far too long, but I know there is far more purpose in these times than what I can even see now. Thankful for hope today 🙂

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