The Cut That Is The Deepest
In one day, I received more stories of hurt and heartache than I could have possibly imagined. I didn't see it coming. Over the span of a day and a half, I felt like the whole world was crashing around me; not just for me, but for everyone I loved.
It was near 7:00 in the morning when I got a message from my best friend. Someone had tried to kill her brother and she was a wreck. A few hours later, another friend messaged me with news that her husbands cancer was back with a vengeance. The two of those would have been enough to flood my mind, but then my phone kept ringing.
... a husband had filed to divorce his wife, and she was crushed.
... news that a brain tumor was back for someone who had just been married two days prior.
... a child battling cancer went to be with Jesus and his parents felt so lost.
... a story of abuse.
... a failed adoption.
... deep betrayal.
I was in such deep shock. How could there be so much hurt? How could there be so much pain? Why was God allowing all of this? And why in the world were all of these people calling me and looking for comfort? I had my own crap to deal with. I had no clue how to help!
I didn't understand, and I was angry!
I drove to a dear friend's house and poured out my heart, trying to make sense of it all. It was while looking to her for help that she made a profound point.
They came to me because I was hurting too. Sure, my hurt looked different than theirs, but pain is pain. My world was shattering and they knew I had a glimpse of the heartache.
The truth is, I didn't have any answers for these people. I had no magic solution or quick fix. What I did have were tears to cry and prayers to lift up. I could help carry the burden. I could help comfort. That, right there, is all we are called to do; to carry each other's burdens and to comfort with the comfort we have been given. To carry each other as God draws us closer. To point each other to The Cross.
Every trial we face, every hurt, pain, and lonely moment are all meant to draw us closer to the Lord, and this is a key point that is going to be a hard one to hear...
Your hurt is there to break your heart for what breaks God's. He allows it to come to make you whole and strong in Him. It's the process of pruning; the process of God stripping away; a process of cutting back the things that are drawing our attention away from Christ. And those cuts... the deep ones that take you down to the root, down to your knees... they hurt the worst.
But God never intended for you to stay in your pain and suffering. It is there, when you are on your knees and you have nowhere else to look but up. That is where you find the cross. That is where you find Jesus, the one who knows your pain. That's what He died for.
And that is where you find your healing.
The healing of the heart.