Every Tuesday I walk with a group of 5 retired Christian men. We walk in various locations in and around Los Angeles. The group is men only because we talk about any and everything, some of which would be uncomfortable for women. There are two retired police officers, two retired business executives and me. We all love the Lord and while very few of our conversations are about the Lord if you were with us you would know that His presence is there with us.
Something happened on our walk today. We went to a place called the Self Realization Center in Pacific Palisades.The Center's website says "Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is a Temple, a Shrine, and a Meditation Garden offering people from around the world a quiet oasis for meditation, prayer…".
While walking around the lake we saw a young lady on the other side of the lake. She looked as if she was waiting for someone. When we walked by and were passing her she said "good morning" and we all responded with"good morning", and we would have continued with our walk and conversation. She asked one of our group how he was doing today and he answered great, and asked how she was doing. She responded with "do you really want to know", and suddenly he stopped. While the others in our group and I didn't hear the complete conversation we could tell that this young lady was in distress. We stood back and let the conversation continue. After a few minutes we heard "I am going to kill myself".
We continued to monitor the conversation while one of our group, a retired police officer called 911 asking for officers to come to the location to assess the situation and take the young lady to a place where she would be safe and receive some counseling. One of my friends asked, the young lady, if we could pray with her. She said no because God doesn't care about her. She said that the reason that she was in this situation was because God caused and did the things that drove her to this point. I said that God did not bring this hurt to her because He loves her and that the proof that He loves her was that he had us there today for her. There are no coincidences with God. He had us there for her today because He loves her.
While waiting for the police to arrive, which didn't happen for 45 minutes. The Holy Spirit reminded me of a Bible Study in which I taught that when we feel everything closing in on us and that God doesn't love us or has forgotten about us, remember that He loves us and so that we don't forget He has left us reminders that He does love us. One of those reminders is the people you meet in your life. He knows who you need to meet and when you need to meet them. You may never know their names and you may never see them again, but because God loves you they are there at just the right time.
After several minutes of her trying to get away to, in her words, to walk around and find a high cliff, police officers did come and transported to a hospital.
Something happened on our walk today. We went to a place called the Self Realization Center in Pacific Palisades.The Center's website says "Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine is a Temple, a Shrine, and a Meditation Garden offering people from around the world a quiet oasis for meditation, prayer…".
While walking around the lake we saw a young lady on the other side of the lake. She looked as if she was waiting for someone. When we walked by and were passing her she said "good morning" and we all responded with"good morning", and we would have continued with our walk and conversation. She asked one of our group how he was doing today and he answered great, and asked how she was doing. She responded with "do you really want to know", and suddenly he stopped. While the others in our group and I didn't hear the complete conversation we could tell that this young lady was in distress. We stood back and let the conversation continue. After a few minutes we heard "I am going to kill myself".
We continued to monitor the conversation while one of our group, a retired police officer called 911 asking for officers to come to the location to assess the situation and take the young lady to a place where she would be safe and receive some counseling. One of my friends asked, the young lady, if we could pray with her. She said no because God doesn't care about her. She said that the reason that she was in this situation was because God caused and did the things that drove her to this point. I said that God did not bring this hurt to her because He loves her and that the proof that He loves her was that he had us there today for her. There are no coincidences with God. He had us there for her today because He loves her.
While waiting for the police to arrive, which didn't happen for 45 minutes. The Holy Spirit reminded me of a Bible Study in which I taught that when we feel everything closing in on us and that God doesn't love us or has forgotten about us, remember that He loves us and so that we don't forget He has left us reminders that He does love us. One of those reminders is the people you meet in your life. He knows who you need to meet and when you need to meet them. You may never know their names and you may never see them again, but because God loves you they are there at just the right time.
After several minutes of her trying to get away to, in her words, to walk around and find a high cliff, police officers did come and transported to a hospital.
After our walks we go somewhere to eat. When I looked at my phone at lunch today this is what I saw.
21 Verses to Hold On to When the Pain Won't Stop
Anne Peterson
No one likes pain. And for some, it feels unending. Pain can be physical, and it can be emotional. And yet, all pain hurts. And it leaves us asking questions; wondering why God allows our pain.
Why Am I in Pain, God?
Before sin entered the world there was no pain and suffering, and no death. Once Adam and Eve sinned, there were consequences. We have pain because we live in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve sinned, it changed everything.
Genesis 3:17-18 ESV And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.
Often, when we’re in pain the enemy sees our weakened state and he finds it the perfect time to attack. He whispers lies to us that feel true:
God is punishing you.
If God loved you, you wouldn’t be in pain.
God is tired of you.
And when we’re in pain, we aren’t able to process things and focus on what God’s Word says.
Remember, Pain Isn’t Punishment from God
Jesus told us in the world we would have trials and tribulation, but we could be of good cheer because he has overcome the world.
John 16:33 ESV I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
Even God’s own son suffered. He was severely beaten and rejected. And then when he hung on the cross, he suffered the pain and humiliation of dying as a criminal would.
When Satan was tempting Jesus in the wilderness, he used God’s Word to refute him. We can do the same. God’s Word is part of your spiritual armor to refute the lies of Satan.
God’s Word is also his love letter to us. He wrote it for instruction and for reflection. He did not leave us comfortless in our pain, but left us his Word.
Let’s look at verses you can hold onto when you feel like the pain won’t stop:
Verses for When You’re Grieving
Psalms 56:8 ESV You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?
God keeps track of all my sorrows. He collects all my tears in a bottle. He records each one in His book.
Psalms 34:19 ESV Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
God is close to the brokenhearted. He’s so close he can hear your heartbeat.
John 11:35 ESV Jesus wept.
Jesus wept. When Jesus was with his friends Mary and Martha, even though he knew he would raise their brother Lazarus from the dead, Jesus wept. He showed empathy.
Revelation 21:4 ESV He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
We don’t grieve like those who have no hope. One day we will see loved ones who have trusted in Jesus. This world is not all there is.
Verses for When You’re Battling Chronic Illness
Luke 12:7 ESV Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
We are so precious to God that he even knows how many hairs are on our heads. When we are sick, it’s easier to believe Satan’s lies. So we need to remember how much we matter to God. And that there will be an end to our suffering.
Matthew 10:29-31 ESV Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
God knows when even a sparrow falls. When I took a walk and saw a tiny sparrow on the ground, I was struck by realizing the God of the whole universe knows when that tiny creature fell.
Romans 8:32 ESV He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
If God loved us enough to spare his own Son, he will give us all things. What could we possibly need that would measure up to that sacrifice?
Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
God wants us to trust him with our whole heart. To not try to understand what is going on. We have finite minds but God’s mind is infinite. So we won’t be able to understand some things till we are in heaven.
Psalms 46:1 ESV God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
God is our refuge and our strength and he is our present help when we are in trouble. This gives us so much comfort.
Verses to Remind You of God’s Presence in Your Pain
Hebrews 13:5 ESV Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
When we hurt, we sometimes feel alone, but Jesus said he would never leave us, nor forsake us.
Psalms 42:8 ESV By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
The Lord will command his loving kindness in the daytime: and his song will be with me in the night. God is with us 24/7.
1 John 4:13-14 ESV By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us his Spirit.
Isaiah 26:3 ESV You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. We will experience God’s peace in our pain and that peace is directly from God.
Matthew 11:28 ESV Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. God is that close to us. All we need to do is call on him.
Verses to Remind you That You Matter to God
John 15:13 ESV Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
There is no greater love than the love Jesus showed by dying for us, his friends.
1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
God tells us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us.
Jeremiah 29:11 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
God has plans for us, plans for good and not evil; plans to give us a future and a hope.
Hebrews 4:16 ESV Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
God tells us we can draw near to his throne to receive help in time of need. What a loving Father.
Philippians 1:6 ESV And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
God started a work in us and he’s going to continue it till we look like Jesus.
Isaiah 40:28 ESV Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Though the enemy wants us to believe God gets tired of us and our pain, it says that God does not grow weary. He’ll never be tired of us. He made heaven so we can be with him eternally.
A Prayer for When You’re in Pain
Father God, we know there is pain in this fallen world. You told us there would be. And we know the enemy of our souls wants to torment us. Remind us of your truths, Lord. Let us reflect on them. And wrap ourselves up in them when we are in pain, or we feel alone. You said in Numbers 23:19, that you are not a man that you should lie. If you said something, you will do it, if you spoke it, you will make it good. Thank you for always answering us when we call. And thank you that you said in Romans 8:27 when we don’t know what to pray that the Holy Spirit will pray for us. Thank you, God, that no matter what we go through, you will always be there. We pray this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
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