The work, which His goodness began,
The arm of His strength will complete.
His promise is Yea and Amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
~Augustus M. Toplady
Loss is painful. Take my friend, Melany, for example. At he age of forty she has suffered more grief than anyone else I know. Yet, God’s grace has ultimately been sufficient through it all. The truth is God never said trouble wouldn’t come our way. He did, however, promise a way out, and the power of His presence.
I’ve often wondered how Melany survived since she didn’t grow up in a home where there was much Christian influence. Her family only went to church occasionally. On Easter, Melany recalls that their family was the type that went to church only to show off their new clothes. Without a strong relationship with the living God, I don’t see how anyone could endure the hardships of life. But God intervened in Melany’s life when she was twelve years old. A friend invited her to church camp. It was there that she met the Lord. Even though she had no one in her life to help her grow spiritually, that was okay. After all, the apostle Paul says, “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again” (Philippians 1:6).
I imagine, like most, Melany didn’t realize the full benefit of putting her trust in Christ that day. Through all her misfortune, God has faithfully been her strength time and time again. In fact, the first time she experienced God’s sustaining power was during a time of utter shock when her brother was killed in a car accident. The culprits were stormy weather, alcohol, and a speeding car. His death completely devastated Melany and her family. She says her dad was never the same. He became bitter and lost his zeal for life. What a tragedy when the death of a son led to a living death for this father. Pain can do that. It can trap us and steal our life.
“Why does heartache hurt so much? Is there any hope? This is a question I will attempt to answer over the next few post as I share my friend, Melany’s, story. I’m so thankful she has allowed me to do so. I’ve learned so much from her faith walk. I hope you will too.
Here’s a clue about what’s ahead. I hope you’ll join me by adding your thoughts, sharing your story, or asking a question. I may not know the answer, but we’ll discover it together.
Why does it hurt?:
It hurts when we hold on too tight.
It hurts when we harbor anger and unforgiveness.
It hurts when we fail to move forward.
It hurts when we experience mulitpul losses.
Sarah says
There have been a lot of difficult times in my life in the last couple of years. I have found that the pain is so much easier when I am holding on to the promises in His word. It is so easy to back way from Him and His word during difficult times. This is where I have found that the pain increases. When I go back to Him and his promises I find rest and strength for my weary heart and soul. Looking forward to hearing more of Melany’s story and how God has strenthened her faith in Him
Tracy says
Without His strength, there is nothing I could accomplish. I do get quiet at times, not talking to Him much, particularly when I feel the sting of friends who let me down. I become dismayed with their profession of faith that does not reveal itself in action. These are the “little deaths” I experience on a day-to-day basis. They hurt. I actually need them to hurt because in the hurt, I wake up to Him. I will stay tuned for more of the story, Micca.
AnnMarie says
It hurts when we put our trust in people instead of God. It hurts when we try to do things that we are not equipped to do. Only God can heal that wound and soothe the raw “sore”. Nothing can, neither people. We just have to setp out in faith and allow him to heal and restore us.
AnnMarie says
It hurts when we put our trust in people instead of God. It hurts when we try to do things that we are not equipped to do. Only God can heal that wound and soothe the raw “sore”. Nothing can, neither people. We just have to step out in faith and allow him to heal and restore us.
Kimberly says
Micca
I’m so glad you are doing this series. It is so timely and very much needed by me and so many others I’m sure. I know that God heals all wounds and that we must look to Him for our comfort but in the midst of the trial, tribulation or multiple losses we often find ourselves questioning even God as to why such things happen and find ourselves withdrawing from Him. Hopefully we’ll gain insight on how to keep our focus on Him when these things occur and how doing so will help us recover a lot quicker. Any insight would be a blessing as I am struggling with multiple losses this year myself.
God bless.
Kimberly