Facing the hard things

I find it hard to gaze into the face of suffering -- within moments I can't help but look away to hope -- it is just too real, too painful, too close to my own pain for me to allow myself to look long in its direction for I find that despair is close at hand. -- anonymous

When I see suffering, I find that the pain is too great for me and before I know it I am trying to fix it. It is just too difficult and so uncomfortable to accept the way things are without interfering! To just be with someone in the midst of their pain and struggle -- to just be with my own pain and struggle -- is so hard.

To accept that God is still alive, still at work in such things is also hard. And yet, to say that He is not there is unthinkable! If He is not there in my pain, how could I ever believe that He is a God who truly loves me? I have plenty of those "fair weather" friends. But those who are closest are those with whom I have shared my deepest sorrows and greatest struggles, and they have chosen to stay. And best of all, they have chosen to just be with me in the midst of my pain without trying to fix me or the situation. Why would I expect that it would be any different with God?

And so, as I see the pain of loss in the lives of my friends, I will by grace release my own pain and choose to be fully present, engaging their pain, but without interfering. And in this I will trust that Jesus will be their closest friend.