Two things if you have been deeply hurt…

If you have been deeply hurt, let me say two things to you:  One, I’m sorry you hurt.  I really mean that.  I’m sorry your hurt and GOD hurts with you.  HE weeps with you.  HE understands the pain you’ve gone through.

At a funeral one time, a woman said, “Where was GOD when my son died?”  The same place HE was when HIS son died on the cross.

GOD has not promised to exempt us from pain.  I’m sorry you hurt. GOD hurts with you.

Two, I want to say to you, when you are in pain and when you hurt, don’t run from GOD, run to GOD.  HE is the one who can help.  HE’s the one who can comfort you.  HE’s the one who can bring healing to your emotions and your body and your past.  Nobody else can do that.

So when you run from GOD out of pain, you’re running from the only person who can heal it.  Don’t do it.  Don’t turn from HIM.  Turn to HIM in your moment of crisis.  Turn to HIM with your hurt instead of holding it in.  Give it to HIM.

Never allow any other human being or experience to block your relationship to GOD.  Even if they claim to be a CHRISTian and you’ve been hurt by that, give that hurt to GOD.  Don’t turn off to GOD because somebody else did something to you.  Give it to GOD.  Don’t close your heart and don’t close your mind.

A bitter life is a wasted life.  It only prolongs the pain.

Instead, James 1.21 (NIV), “...get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Let GOD love you, drop your defenses and open up your mind.

The first step in hearing GOD is I must cultivate an open mind.

Just a thought from the front porch…