Jesus, Our Hope in Spite of Pain 🌸

Pain just stinks. Period. Health (physical) pain, heart (emotional) pain, head (mental) pain … they all just stink. I’ve been thinking about how we cope, or don’t cope with pain. Severe pain can be mind and body consuming to the point that it is difficult to focus on anything beyond ourselves. The needs of others can seem to be just a shadow in the mind. And then the question arises, “Where is God in all of the pain?”

Dear friends, I have to remind myself, for that matter I must remind myself, that God is still right here with me even when I can’t feel His presence or recognize His intervention. Our lives, our world overflows with turmoil and seems full of pain. So today, I feel an urgency to remind you too that Jesus is with you.

As Jesus ascended to Heaven He gave the disciples His great commission and He reassured with these final words,

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt 28: 20b NIV.

My friends, those words comfort me even as they have comforted other believers through the ages. Jesus is with us. He knows our needs. He is with us to help us. He may not always give us what we want and He never promised such. But He did promise to be with us.

Surely, we all have hard times. We have head, health and/or heart pains that sometimes seem more than we can bear. But always remember that He is with you even when you can’t feel Him. Seek Him. Get into the Scripture either by listening or reading it and hear what He promises. Listen to His music. Persevere in your walk with Him. Remind yourself of His promises. Let Him help you and heal your wounds. Remember and claim verses like these:

“Come near to God and He will come near to you. …. Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.” James 4: 8a & 10 NIV

I’m reminded of the Spiritual “There is a Balm in Gilead”. I love that song and I’ve always been soothed by the very word balm. There’s just something about that word that takes me back to childhood with skinned knees and Mama easing the pain with good ‘ole Vaseline (aka petroleum jelly) and tender loving care. Maybe these words will soothe your soul too …

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.

Sometimes I feel discouraged
and think my work’s in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again.

If you can’t preach like Peter,
if you can’t pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus
and say, “He died for all.”

There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul

Public Domain

Dear friends, Jesus is our balm. Praise His Holy Name!

Kim 💕