Don’t you hate the stings that life has
to offer? For example …
~When we lived on Franklin Avenue a swarm of
yellow jackets attacked me from a honeysuckle vine. I received 15 or 20 stings that day. Ouch.
That hurt.
~I broke my arm at age nine. That was no fun, especially when my brother
tried to set the broken bone himself, and he was only twelve.
Both of my parents are deceased. That stung.
Bankruptcy stings.
Job loss stings.
Losing a close friend stings.
Just last Saturday my brother Tom passed
away. That stung – a lot. It still does.
It is a given that we will be stung by
life’s circumstances. It is
inevitable.
However – we can survive these stings.
God never promises to keep us from the
hard places, but He does promise to be with us in those hard places. And when they come, well – we endure. We hang on.
We gather our close family members around us and those friends that we
cherish and we hang on.
The words of friends have done much to
heal the sting of Tom’s passing. I’ve
received some amazing notes and expressions during this experience. And the strengthened ties with my
siblings is sweeter than before, and it was great before this happened.
If life stings you in some harsh ways,
turn to your friends. Let them know some
of what you are facing. The measure of
support you receive will amaze and encourage your heart.
And keep your faith intact. The assurance of the presence of my God
during these days has been a stabilizing force.
I’ve found comfort in the
scriptures. I've been encouraged by the
words of friends and family, and I've found release after release in allowing the
emotions to flow unhindered.
That is perhaps one of the great truths I
could share with you. Let your emotions
flow as you need them to. You are not
weakened by this display. It is a
healthy and therapeutic physical and emotional release valve that is built into
our makeup.
I want to close with two verses from the Bible that have been especially
meaningful during this sting in life.
“Cast all your cares upon Him, for He
cares for you.
“Be not afraid nor dismayed, for I your
God will be with you wherever you go.” Be not afraid (Johua 1:9)
Life stings – no doubt about it.
May the salve of God’s word bring you
relief when the stings sting.
P Michael
Biggs
Offering
Hope
Encouragement
Inspiration
One Word
at a Time
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