June 5, 2009
Raw
Today’s Truth
Psalm 6:6-7 (NLT) “I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out…”
Friend to Friend
If someone said that you had only six days to live, what would you do? What would you say?
I would watch my husband and my children as they slept, wondering how I got so lucky; wondering how God could love me so much to give me the miracle of love from an amazing man and two little boys. I would wonder how my husband could love me even when I was stubborn and prideful, and hope that he knew, even when I was at my worst, how much I adored him and didn’t want to live without him.
I would wonder if my children would remember me or if they would only remember a to-do list of activities. Maybe they would remember the simple things like hot cocoa on a snowy day, blankies, and good night prayers and kisses. If I was gone in six days, would anyone know how much I loved God, how much He has changed my life, and how much I believe that He can and will do that for anyone.
Eighteen months ago, I wrote this in a tear-covered journal after I found out that one of my dearest friends (in her thirties with two small children) was told that if the cancer didn’t kill her, the surgery (which she would have in six days) very possibly would. I was emotionally raw after throwing myself on the floor in front of God, kicking, screaming, and begging Him to save her.
Today, I wait for a phone call from a friend who is having a biopsy done. I’m praying that it is not cancer. Tomorrow, I will sit in a hospital waiting room while another friend faces a double mastectomy at the age of 40. Daily, I am reminded of many people in our community and in our church that have lost their jobs, their houses, or their marriages.
In Psalm 6, the writer, David, states that he was worn out by crying and that his vision was blurred by grief. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt “emotionally raw?” Maybe you are feeling that way right now as you read these words. I have only one thing to say, “Don’t let go!”
Life can leave you spinning in uncertainty and loneliness. Discouragement and brokenness can lead you to believe that there is no way to put the pieces back together. But don’t let go!
God awaits your cries for help. He wants to hear your “emotionally raw” prayers that ask Him to rescue you from the pit of despair. He wants to guide and direct you to higher ground. He wants to tell you that you are loved and that there is hope for your future.
In many of the Psalms that David wrote, he cried out his afflictions and suffering to the Lord. Even in his anguish, David always affirmed his trust in the Lord’s power to save and heal (Psalm 6, 22, 63, 142…). This is because David knew from experience that when he felt emotionally raw, left without answers or an escape plan, His Father in Heaven would free him from the prison of defeat.
Would you like to know how the story ended for my friend who was told she may only have six days to live? When the surgeons opened her up, they found that there was NO cancer. It had completely disappeared! Even though my friend’s doctor was not a Christian, he declared my friend a walking miracle of God.
Hold on my friend! You may not see the evidence of your miracle yet, but God is at work in your life!
Let’s Pray
Today, pray whatever is on your mind. Whether you are feeling emotionally raw or emotionally joyous, God wants to listen and He will respond. You are not alone!
Lord, I pray for the incredible woman that comes before You today with a prayer of grief, fear, discouragement, or desperation. I partner with her in prayer, knowing You will deliver her, and bring her the resources that she needs to get out of the pit. We will believe together that all things are possible through You, Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. I pray encouragement, purpose, love, joy, and peace over her as she pours her heart out to You. Thank You for hearing and acting on her behalf.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Now It Is Your Turn
- Spend some time reading Psalms. If you do not have a Bible handy, go to www.crosswalk.com and enter “Psalm” under “Search the Bible” on the home page. Ask yourself, “Do I have anything in common with the writers?”
- Pray for God’s direction, comfort, and peace. Matthew 11:28 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” God is listening!
- Ask for help! Ask God for help and then ask a friend, family, or church leader. There are people around you that God will use to bring the help you need. Remember, Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) teaches us that God desired to do “Immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
More From The Girlfriends
We all battle the lies of the enemy in one way or another. It seems that Satan knows and targets our weaknesses, trying to make us stumble, fall and quit the race. The days in which we now live are hard and it would be easy to give up hope. As Angela said, “Don’t give up!” God is with you and He is for you. Even if you cannot see or understand what God is doing in your life right now, you can see and understand His heart by staying in the Word, praying consistently and sharing the load with others. Stand firm!
Need help? Check out Mary’s weekly online bible study, Light for the Journey, and learn how to manage your emotions instead of allowing them to manage you.
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Originally published Friday, 05 June 2009.
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