Some days are just plain rough. Some times they are rough even when discipline is not needed and attitudes are good. Because life in general is just rough some days. Injuries, hurt feelings, disappointments, losses. Questions like, ”Don’t they like me any more?”, while tears are falling stop us in our tracks.
All I want to do is hold them.
I will never forget when our girls were very small, still learning to talk, when they wanted to be held. We had always asked them, ”Can I hold you?”, so their request to be held was arms reached up and saying ”Hold you. Hold you.”
All I can do when I hold them during those hard days is let them cry. These are the moments they will readily sit in my lap and cling to my neck.
Oh, the pain we wish we could shield our children from in the process of growing up! Every sickness, every mean word, every lost friendship, bad grade, lost game…and all the hurts to come. I just want to take it away, but I can’t.
But I can hold them in their pain, in their confusion. I can be present when their world seems to be falling apart. And when the time comes that I can’t, I pray they have learned from me the faithfulness of God, the One who gave me this love I have for them.
Because, you see, my heavenly Father holds me, too.
”Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen the; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
Isaiah 41:10,13 (KJV)
In every hard place, every hurt, every wrong done, He has always been there to just hold me. Some times you just need to know it is okay to hurt. Those are the places in life that teach us about God’s faithfulness and peace. If we will lean on Him and allow Him to apply His balm to our hearts, healing will come.
Healing is not without its scars, but those scars are reminders of how we were loved and brought through the hard times to where we are today.
”I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”
Psalm 119:59-60 (KJV)
Where do we run when trouble comes? To things that only provide temporary relief? Or to the One whose comfort will provide lasting release from the effects of the pain? He will hold us, love us, and guide us through each step of healing. His word is like a soothing remedy for a stricken soul. It is time like these where God longs to draw us closer to Himself, to just let us be reminded how much He loves and care for us.
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statues. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”
