The Hurt and the Healer

The temperature has dropped here in MN. Thank you, Jesus! It has been unbelievably hot for weeks. Too hot for this fair-skinned, freckled girl. But after delivering 2 of my 3 kids to their respective activities this morning, and welcoming #3’s friend who has come to play, I took my Bible and my coffee out on the deck and relished the breeze. Today that breeze was a balm to my weary soul.

Now, don’t start emailing to see what’s wrong. All is well. All is grace.

Nevertheless, God has called and taxied me to a ministry that parks me in the midst of heart hurting women. He reminds me that I’m called to a 2 Corinthians ministry of comfort …

Paul wrote, All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort-we get a full measure of that, too.

When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it (2 Corinthians 1:3-7).

I don’t have to dig very far into the recesses of my memory to uncover the pain I felt during my most life-changing “hard times.” I can just as easily testify the hope and healing that comes when a broken heart is layed open before Jesus and trusted into His healing hands.

This song from Mercy Me says it best.