Let God love you!

Is there a place of recurring pain in your life? No, I'm not just thinking about physical pain, like a headache. Has something turned out wrong, a relationship gone bad, your dreams been smashed? Philip Yancey wrote about the ache of the soul that leads some of to experience disappointment with God! It happens when God doesn't do what we think He ought to do. It happens when our Father allows us to suffer when we expected that He would rescue us. And all Believers find that though God assures us that He loves us and wants to be close to us, there are times when He seems to hide - His presence elusive. In those seasons, there is heartache that is indescribably painful. The choices that we make when we in such emotional and/or spiritual agony are important.

We must not allow our pain to embitter us or to cause us to turn from the very sources of healing that would strengthen us. A dog in pain will often bite the person who is trying to relieve its suffering. People in pain frequently lash out at the people who can offer them support and perhaps even healing, too! You would think a person would be smarter than a dog, wouldn't you? Think of the times when your spouse attempted to soothe you in a difficult time and you rebuffed her kindness. Perhaps you can remember when you were in the turbulent teen years and you screamed at your parents - "Get out of my face!" and all they were trying to do was to understand your struggles and uncertainty. In my ministry, it sometimes happens that people whose lives are filled with disappointment or pain, who are angry at the Lord or confused by His will, decide to use the Pastor as their punching bag!

Turning against God Himself is the saddest choice we can make in those times. Go ahead and mourn! Stuffing those feelings away, pretending that life is fine by pasting a happy smile on your face is not the answer.

But, please, cultivate humility as well. Pride will fuse with your pain if you allow it. Pride and pain will feed your ego and build an incredible selfishness. You'll become a slave to thoughts like:

"How could they do this to me?"
"No one cares about me."
"Everyone is against me."
"No one else I know has ever, ever had to endure this much pain."

That kind of pre-occupation with 'me, myself, and I' leads to bitterness and rejection of the sources of support and healing. Elijah, the prophet who did so many miracles by God's power, experienced a time when his expectations were missed. He fell into self-pity and prayed this woeful prayer - “I've had enough, Lord... take my life. ... I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:10, NIV) His pain blinded him to God's past faithfulness and to the fact that there were thousands of people in Israel who still loved God!

We need to work hard to break down that self focus. Yes, we must acknowledge the reality of our heartache. But, we need to work to understand that we're not the only one who has ever been disappointed, alone, or afraid. Be humble enough to realize that the world doesn't revolve around you, that you're a part of world that is torn up by suffering produced by Satan and sin.

Offer up a sacrifice of worship and praise. God called Elijah out of the cave of his depressive thoughts and asked him to consider the goodness of the Lord! Offering up worshipful praise doesn't mean that you find the happiest song in the hymnal and sing it insincerely! Worship from the deep places of your heart. Ponder God's works in silent contemplation. Wait! Yes, wait, on God. He isn't captive to our mindset that demands instant gratification and/or solutions that are created in 29.5 minutes! God mourns with you. His heart was broken by sin and suffering too when He hung on the Cross of Calvary carrying the sorrow of this broken world. Now, let Him love you. Confess the truth of the Word which declares - The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18 NIV)

Isaiah 57:13-15 NLT "....whoever trusts in me will possess the land and inherit my holy mountain. I will say, ‘Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.’ The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One, says this: 'I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts.' "