This week’s devotions are based on Week 3 of Stormproof – Hurricanes of Hurt (CLICK HERE)
Often when we interact with someone, we ask, “How are you doing?” The typical response is, “OK.” We move on.
How many times have you said you were “OK” even though you were hurting inside? How many times did you wish someone would hear between those two letters, “I am hurting and I just want and need someone to listen!”
When we are hurting, we want someone to care, to listen, and to love us.
The hurt may not go away, but we know we are not journeying through the hurt alone and sometimes that’s all we need.
Tuesday’s devotion encouraged us to cry out to the LORD. He is always ready to listen, even when others aren’t.
But maybe it’s more than listening we desire. We want love and to know it’s going to be ok.
The Psalmist writes this in Psalm 130:7-8:
Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
When we walk with the Lord through our hurts, how do you know it’s going to be OK?
The Lord gives us hope.
There is no promise the LORD hasn’t or won’t fulfill. It may take him longer than we would personally want, but his promises are sure. He will not forget about them or go back on them. So when we go through hurt, here’s one promise to hold onto that gives us hope.
Romans 5:2-5 And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
The Lord loves us.
Fixing our eyes on the cross reminds us there is no extent to which the LORD won’t go to ensure we are with him forever. His love is boundless and eternal. His proof of how much he loves you is that he sent Jesus to die for you. He has made you his child through baptism. He has a room being prepared for you in heaven.
1 John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
The Lord will make it right.
The greatest hurt we would ever experience is the hurt caused by our sin. The LORD took care of that on the cross, providing the payment that our sin deserved. As a result, we know that when we enter heaven, all the hurts we have experienced will disappear.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Hurts will come. When they do, put your hope in the Lord!
Apply: What do you need most in the middle of hurt? Someone to listen to you, love you, or care for you? How can the LORD be the first to do this for you in your hurt, even as you are blessed by relationships around you?
Prayer: Lord, in the middle of my hurt, help me to always put my hope in you. AMEN.