Broken humans

[DLJake]

I live in a rather small, self generated, protective bubble for many years now. I am pretty close to being a recluse.

In the last few months I've been shown family pains from several close to me.

I've listened and gently questioned to many stories from those closest to me.

So much brokenness.

[Yohanan]

Suffering is everywhere, it does not discriminate, sad as it may seem, everyone gets a turn, and sometimes more than one.

[FredS]

Suffering is everywhere, it does not discriminate, sad as it may seem, everyone gets a turn, and sometimes more than one.

I spent a lot of time on a camp/fish trip in the mountains with my my sort-of-nephew-in-law who spent 6 years in the joint for drugs. His mom was an addict who shot him up and lost him and his brother when the brother was born brain damaged and addicted to meth. Rotten start but he's finally doing better at 30 years of age. I told him that "nobody skates" so we all need to figure out how to get through. Lay the groundwork ahead of time - faith in Christ is the best place to start - so you have a plan when it hits the fan. 'Cause it will.

You have the groundwork Jake. Praying for you and your fam who need it.

[SlowToke]

Life is suffering. That's harsh but true. Suffering has the potential to refine us for the higher beings we are meant to be. It also has the potential to cast us into despair. The choice is ultimately ours. Through our response to suffering, we either move closer to God or farther away. We can use it to propel us towards divinity or cast us to the depths of hell. We can either put it behind us to push us on or in front of us to impede our progress. Doesn't make it all that much easier to bare when you are in the thick of it but it is what it is. And I don't mean to minimize it at all. Suffering sucks. Our understanding and attitude towards it, however, can make all the difference.

[MrPiper]

It's hard to live in the Joy of the LORD. Jesus was sorrowful quite often while He was here among us. He left us encouragement in His Holy Word. "In this world you WILL (emphasis mine) have trouble but behold, I have overcome the world." The 23rd Psalm is a great comfort. I find peace when I am in a state of surrender to Him as completely as my sinful self can surrender.

I believer the LORD CAN do ANYTHING. That said, and in my belief in Romans 8:28 "all things work together to those who love God, who are the called according to His purpose..." ALL he does, while so often beyond our ability to understand, is for our ULTIMATE and ETERNAL good (if not our immediate and temporal relief so sought in prayer and pleading) THEREFORE, since He is good and loves even me, and since he CAN do anything, then I must to surrender and accept what he DOES DO and where that lands me knowing it is the best for me. He sees my life through an eternal lens. Not just the lens of my present.

Jake my prayer is that the LORD will continue to bless you with a heart that longs for the presence of Him, and for His intervention in the lives of those you love. Just keep praying for them brother.

[FredS]

. . .Jake my prayer is that the LORD will continue to bless you with a heart that longs for the presence of Him . . .

This strikes a chord. We know how good it could be just as we know how good we could be. We know this I suppose because we've found contentment/comfort/peace in Him before (those times when we're better focused on Him or simply better behaved) and we wish it could always be like that. In this world, not the next.

[SlowToke]

Interestingly, the antidote to pain and suffering is truth and love. And we know truth and love is far more powerful and, especially, salvific.

[Jocose]

But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

Not a juke, like you I also know a thing or two about brokenness. God brings us healing.