Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Living in Pain and love


I was just thinking about how many people are living in some kind of pain. One time we had a women's meeting and one after another were standing up to give testimony. Each of them had different kinds of pain, but pain none the less. There are all kinds of pain that relate to our being and some are interrelated ...ie physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, psychological. Some had lost children to horrendous accidents, some lost loved ones to drugs, some had experienced divorce, some had crippling pain, some suffered from depression, some from loneliness etc. But I came away amazed that almost every testimony dealt with some pain and then the grace of God in it.

I think of the wider world ---if we don't always know what our sisters and brothers in the church are going through, neither do we know what are neighbors, fellow workers, strangers are going through---we just have no idea. How much I need to be careful in what I do , what I say. Jesus is so full of compassion---I again think of Mother Teressa and how she reached out in compassion to so many even though she struggled with feeling Christ's love for herself! Christ fully knew the Father's love and Christ's compassion is wider, deeper, higher, etc as I think Eph. 3 states it---I need to figure out on a daily basis how this love in me is to be expressed--it is sometimes hard to know the right avenue of expression, ....again the need to depend on the Spirit, the Word, etc.

Eph 3 : 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

5 comments:

  1. I feel that testimonys are so important. You are so right we don't know what are sisters and brothers are going through. How can we help if we don't know?
    Thank-you agian nanykiem for wonderful scriptures.
    ginger

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  2. I know, it is sad to know how many people are in real pain. My heart goes out to them. I know it is so easy to just focus on our own pain or our immediate loved ones. I think it is important that we do let down our guard and share with others what we go through to encourage them and promote conversation to inspire and lift up one another in prayer. Did you ever go visit Deena at Can I be Pretty in Pink? She recently discovered she has breast cancer and she is blogging about her journey. She really needs encouragement. You can go to my blog and click on her link from my favorites on my sidebar.
    Have a blessed day Kim!

    :0) Sharon

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  3. Nanny Kim..your words are so encouraging.
    and YES everyone has a story, things none of
    us know about ..Hurt , pain, depression, loss ..
    a sweet internet friend and fellow artist just
    lost her husband. Not even a month after he was diagnosed with cancer. I cried when I wrote her
    to ask how he was and she responded her sweet hubby passed away. Life is good each day, we need to enjoy the blessings God gives us ..we EACH get them daily..we just need to SEE them.
    lovingly, Deena

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  4. Ginger, I guess that is one reason why fellowship is important--we hear others testimonies and it is encouraing. Sharon--I agree there are times for us to share what we go through as an encouragement to others, and Deena thanks for being willing to do that!

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  5. Thank you for this reminder. I've been dealing with a lot of question and doubt lately and this was a good thing to read. It reminded me that so long as I keep in touch with His people, I'm not alone.
    Earlier today I finished a post I started yesterday about my infertility. Please comment if you have a chance.

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