And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)
God knows exactly how much you can bear. Sometimes it seems like He has forgotten you. You wander alone, sobbing and crying for unknown reasons and without even so much as a blink of an eye, your pain is acknowledged and relieved (if only briefly). He wraps His arms around you and lets you know that you are loved and you are important to Him.
Sometimes the overwhelming feelings of loneliness and despair can cause you to want to walk away, seeking comfort from anything that will ease that pain. If you cry out to Him, He will hear and He will not let you fall. He knows your limits. And in that blink that turns your emotions around, and you come back to the softness of His wing and the quietness of His touch. He holds you.
Often when we think we cannot survive another day in this world, God shows us that with Him, we can. We will find His love in the simplest of things (a phone call from a friend, a visit from a child, and sometimes kisses from a dog). The laughter will return, the tears will fade and for a while, you will experience joy. Remember to thank Him for that, to honor Him and continue to walk in His ways! It's not all fun and games, but it's not all pain and suffering either. It's an evenly balanced scale...you just need to be willing to accept that the joys may not be newsworthy and the pain is nothing compared to Jesus' sufferings. It all comes full circle eventually. You just need to have faith in Him.
Take the ride - go the distance! Enjoy the moments of happiness when they come; let them sustain you in your pain and sorrow. Don't let loneliness be an excuse to walk away. Hang on to the promises in His word and know that He loves you more than anything. He will not let you fall into the hands of the enemy. He has a place for you in Heaven. Rest when you are weary, cry when you are sad, laugh when you are happy and at all times, pray! He loves you VERY much!!!
(photo: with my daughter, Colleen - 2008)
