The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life had on her; but the strength of the woman is measured by her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes. ~C. Joybelle C.
They're not pretty, these negatives in our lives. They aren't piled on a silver platter for us to choose the ones we think we can deal with. They aren't color coded so the girly girls get sparkly pink and the outdoorsy-type get camouflage green. No, these negatives get sprinkled on our heads at random, like a sudden rain that soaks through to skin.
Not, the-washer-broke hardness. Not, the-kids-are-driving-me-nuts hardness. I'm talking about the hard that soaks your soul. You find out your spouse is having an affair.Your daughter has rejected God. You found pornography under your son's mattress. Your grandson was killed in his classroom. Your mother was diagnosed with cancer. Your daughter was raped.
This is the soul-soaking hard that happens every day. They happen to good people, godly people -- people like you and me who love and live for God. People who pray daily and live with integrity. People who reverence God and bring others to Jesus.
It's then when we need someone to hold the umbrella over our souls, to let the rain splash on them so they can share the pain. To be willing to meet our "whys" with the truth of "I don't know." To sit in the silence of the pain and hold our hand. To whisper, The Lord gives and takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord, even when the blesseds have died within us.
I look at friends who are sloughing through their own hard and I want to do. But I know from the dark rooms I've sat in that it's better to just be. You can't hurry them along in the development process, but you can sit there in the darkness with them.
Let your soul speak its own language to the God who never leaves or forsakes. Remember when you held the hard in your own hands. When you've looked life in the face, when you've been to the bottom, and how God tenderly brought you back up streaming with honors (Psalm 71:20a).
As your tears blend with those of your friend, thank God for the privilege of joining her in this negative place. And when the time is right, take up your harp and rejoice in the God of David, the God of your friend, and the God of you. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
I will take up the lute and thank you to the tune of your faithfulness, God. I’ll make music for you on a harp, Holy One of Israel. When I open up in song to you, I let out lungsful of praise, my rescued life a song (Psalm 71:20-22).
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13 comments:
Wow, beautiful post. I accidentally deleted your address, please resend.
I pinned the first quote as soon as I saw it - so so good! I love this post - praise God we have Him to lean on when times are tough. I've found those hard times bring me closer to Him if I let them. I've learned not to judge circumstances but just allow God to shape me through them.
Bless you for sharing the unsung gift God has promised to give us - hardship. Most of the heroes in our faith know it well and yet for some reason we've bought the bill of goods the world sells and pray our brains out against it. Elisa Morgan's book, Beauty in Broken, does such a tremendous job showcasing the role and significance of brokenness and hardship. Thank you for this lovely post. Glad I found it.
What a beautiful post- and so much truth. God bless~ Lisa :O)
Just being there even in the silence and the dark brings comfort to the hurting. A hug, a gentle hand on hand lets them know they ar not alone.
Just being there even in the silence and the dark brings comfort to the hurting. A hug, a gentle hand on hand lets them know they ar not alone.
This is a wonderful post, Pamela.
Hi Pamela, beautiful post..right timing..Blessings
I loved your beautiful, encouraging post. Thank you so much for your sweet visit today. You comment about music being born in my heart was precious and encouraging to me. I need to work more on music I have written.
Such beautiful encouragement. Thanks for sharing at The Weekend Brew.
Love this line: "It's then when we need someone to hold the umbrella over our souls, to let the rain splash on them so they can share the pain." This is so true, Pamela. Thanks for sharing these strengthening words & for visiting me at Doorkeeper last week. Blessings!
Very powerful! Thank you for sharing this!
I am also someone who wants to DO. I am slowly learning to just BE (well... with a dash of DO still in the mix, ha!)
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