Presence in Pain

Today's JOURNEY devotion talked about how when we accept Christ, He lives within us, so whenever we are hurting, God hurts, too. We often hear people say that God is with us, but it really struck me this morning how God doesn't just sympathize with us-He experiences life WITH us. I love this quote from their devotion this morning: "He isn't just aware of our pain, He also feels our pain."

If we are totally transparent, I think we could all point to some very specific hurts and disappointments we have endured or are currently going through in our lives. The pain is real, the hurt often feels unbearable, and the solution doesn't seem attainable...and it leaves us feeling hopeless and alone, because we forget that Jesus hasn't left us, but rather He is just working in ways that are unseen by our human vision. I'm reminded of this every time I look at my precious baby boy-the child my heart had yearned for and prayed about for so long. As I looked over at him during my quiet time this morning, he was chomping away happily on a teething stuffie while he stared curiously at his bouncy seat toys, and my heart instantly filled with so much emotion as I thought of all of the other mornings I had sat in this very spot during my prayer time, pleading with the Lord to answer our heart's desire to grow our family...and now, right here next to me was sitting God's answer, in an even more beautiful and precious form than I ever hoped for our could have imagined.

I'm so thankful this morning for God's sweet and gentle reminders of His faithfulness and His sovereignty. I'm so thankful that He never leaves us and He always answers us, and in the midst of life that He is ALWAYS there with us. Our pain is real, but so is His presence, and I choose to rest in Him today!