I woke up this morning and knew I couldn’t write.
As a general rule, I don’t like to write for public consumption (for other people to read) until I have processed my thoughts and feelings about an event. Sometimes writing helps me think things through, but in general, I have to come to a conclusion about how God is working in any given situation before I send my words into cyberspace.
That’s why I woke up this morning and knew I couldn’t write.
My dear friend lost her college-aged son this week. It is a tragedy. There are no words to give my friend or her husband or her other children. None.
I laid in bed and thought again about my friend as I began to talk to God. You know I can’t write about this. There is no solution. There is no way to take away her pain or the pain of others who are experiencing such deep grief. God, I have nothing.
That was when I felt God say, “Can I take the floor?”
I got a text at that moment from my friend. She had just woken up and was terribly sad, but she was already talking to God too. She sent me a picture of her devotional so I could read it. It said, “God, even in this difficult place, You have treasures for me here. You will give me the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places…” (Isaiah 45:3)
God taught me long ago that pain and joy exist simultaneously. Sometimes our eyes are too clouded by tears to see the joy, but it’s there, in the darkness.
I think that’s what God wanted to remind me of this morning, and you too. In your darkest place, He has already gone before you. He’s laid out treasures. If we continue walking closely to him, even when we cannot see, He will walk beside us and point out His love along the way. And then, just so we don’t need to be afraid of what’s following us, He also walks behind us.
Before, alongside and behind us, always with His hand of blessing on our head. (Psalm 139:5)
Finally, let me say this. If you are hurting so badly you can barely breathe, you are not alone. Don’t fear the world or this day. Go out and smile at someone through your tears because that might just be the person who is hurting as badly as you are.
******
Friends of Tag Hauschild and family have set up an account for donations. You can find it here.
