Silence in the Face of Struggle

Sometimes I don't really have much to say. This seems like one of those times, but I will probably end up saying a lot about having nothing to say. I am kind of overwhelmed right now with the fact, or the appearance of the fact, that life is just hard sometimes. We all have problems and issues that we struggle with - holes in our hearts, so to speak, that we try to fill the best way we know how. This search for healing, fulfillment, acceptance, and love drives us into dangerous places at times. I have come to find that Jesus really does meet all of those needs and He is always loving, forgiving, and healing. Once you understand that, the problem comes in relationship with other people. How do you forgive those who have hurt you and what do you do when you have failed and hurt people that you love? You can't change the past and you cannot take back things you have said and done. You can't go back and not be hurt by others. The pain is there and it is real. How do we learn to forgive, receive forgiveness, and move on?

Only God can bring that healing to our lives. But, He normally does not do this in isolation. He uses others in our lives. This is why a community of faith that relies on Jesus is so important. Your family can embody that community, as can a small circle of friends, or even your church. We are called to live our lives in relationship with one another in a way that brings healing and forgiveness - in a sense, we actualize the work of Jesus through His death and resurrection. We need to be able to confess our sins one to another and hear the words, "You are forgiven." We need to have people pray for us so that we can forgive one another, just as Christ forgave us. This is only possible when the Holy Spirit is in our lives and is making the truth of Christ come alive within us. Grace is a word that we are afraid of because we are afraid that we will just use it as a license to sin. We are so concerned about each other's behavior and making sure that we line up with the right way to live and be, that we do not want to extend grace to one another for fear that they will turn and hurt us with it. In reality, we do not extend grace and forgiveness to sinners because we are protecting our own heart from them and we do not trust God to do that for us.

Dear God, help me to forgive. Help me to trust you with my heart so that I can forgive others without fear of what they might do to me or how they might hurt me. God, help me to receive the forgiveness that I need from others. I want to know your grace and live in relationship with others that experience your love and mercy. I want to be transformed by your power and experience healing in all of those places that are shot up with holes. Lord, I want that for the people I love as well who are trying to protect themselves from more pain. Help us to trust you. Make us whole human beings.

I think that is what Jesus is all about. I really think that He wants to answer that prayer. Well, I guess I did have something to say afterall. I thought that might happen.