Jesus wept.
I am not a crier and I rarely show emotion. And when everyone else is struggling, I work extra hard to be strong. After preaching a message last night on being with each other in our moments of weakness and not trying to eliminate pain, but instead suffering with our brothers and sisters, I cried this evening.
Without all of the details, one of the girls became very upset this evening about a situation regarding her family. Feeling unloved, isolated, and alone in a world where no one seems to understand, she was at the end of the rope. As she screamed and staff tried to console her, I was beside myself as I felt her pain.
So...I did the only thing I thought I could do. I knew that I couldn't be physically with her, so I tried to meet her spiritually. She couldn't see me, but I sat down on the floor and just started praying. Tears welled up in my eyes and I was thankful no one was watching me, because I think they would have been really confused at why I was crying.
This was my prayer:
Lord, wrap her in Your arms, Your love, and let her sense Your presence. Let her know that You have felt her pain, and even if she doesn't stop hurting immediately, that You are there to suffer with her.
Her screams began to subside, and I realized I was witnessing a miracle. She screamed out again, and with that scream, I felt pain, but I saw beauty and continued to pray.
Lord, help her to know how much these people care about her and that we are here to be with her in this hard time. Help us to be patient, be with her in her sorrow, and show her Your love.
I realized a transformation in myself. I didn't pray for healing or for her to stop screaming. Those words I spoke last night kept coming back to me, like a song on replay. I've been sharing a Sam Wells quote the past few days with my co-workers: : "If you can't make it happy, make it beautiful."
I guarantee you that many of the situations here can't be happy, but they can be beautiful. I was truly transformed as I felt the power of God come into that space. I saw God in her, in the staff, and between them.
LOVE is a beautiful thing!
I am not a crier and I rarely show emotion. And when everyone else is struggling, I work extra hard to be strong. After preaching a message last night on being with each other in our moments of weakness and not trying to eliminate pain, but instead suffering with our brothers and sisters, I cried this evening.
Without all of the details, one of the girls became very upset this evening about a situation regarding her family. Feeling unloved, isolated, and alone in a world where no one seems to understand, she was at the end of the rope. As she screamed and staff tried to console her, I was beside myself as I felt her pain.
So...I did the only thing I thought I could do. I knew that I couldn't be physically with her, so I tried to meet her spiritually. She couldn't see me, but I sat down on the floor and just started praying. Tears welled up in my eyes and I was thankful no one was watching me, because I think they would have been really confused at why I was crying.
This was my prayer:
Lord, wrap her in Your arms, Your love, and let her sense Your presence. Let her know that You have felt her pain, and even if she doesn't stop hurting immediately, that You are there to suffer with her.
Her screams began to subside, and I realized I was witnessing a miracle. She screamed out again, and with that scream, I felt pain, but I saw beauty and continued to pray.
Lord, help her to know how much these people care about her and that we are here to be with her in this hard time. Help us to be patient, be with her in her sorrow, and show her Your love.
I realized a transformation in myself. I didn't pray for healing or for her to stop screaming. Those words I spoke last night kept coming back to me, like a song on replay. I've been sharing a Sam Wells quote the past few days with my co-workers: : "If you can't make it happy, make it beautiful."
I guarantee you that many of the situations here can't be happy, but they can be beautiful. I was truly transformed as I felt the power of God come into that space. I saw God in her, in the staff, and between them.
LOVE is a beautiful thing!
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