Each morning I wake up and force a smile on my face. I pretend I don't feel the creeping pain that alternates right side, left, right, left, as if it's a game. I sit alone, in what's typically an empty house and pray to God that today, another day, I would not let this overcome me. I search for ways to feel accomplished, a trip here, a task there. But more than anything, I search for means of contact. As humans we all have the desire to be near people. Loneliness is a great fear. BUT I have some liberating news!!!
Romans 8: 35-39 says:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For i am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God gives us an answer NO circumstance can imprison! He tells us that nothing else in ALL creation can separate us from his love. Which means we are never alone because God is love.
Today in my Thursday morning bible study a wise woman I know said something that really stuck out to me. She said, God promises us he will never leave us, he not only shows he is there, but most of the time he also sends us a warm body. All day long I have dwelt on what she said. Although God has shown that to be true in my life many times before I was having trouble with it. And my natural reaction is to what? ASK! So on I went...
"Now God, I know you never leave me alone, I know you are here, but hey, I've been "alone" for some time now, so where's my warm body?"
I can only imagine he got a good chuckle out of that one! And his answer was simple. Ever feel like when he answers you it's like a thump on the head? DUH, my child, the answer was right there....
And for me, it was!
God showed me I have...
A mom who knows my struggle every step of the way. Who cries when I cry. Who tames my raging thoughts and reminds me of the truth, and plan God has for me...
A dad who's valiant efforts to be my knight in shining armor there to save the day speak volumes on their own
A sister who invites me over, day after day, so I don't spend them alone
A sister who after long days of work, long drives, and in the late hours of the night stays in my hospital room to make sure I'm okay
A 3 year old nephew who tells me "don't leave..." with the most genuine eyes if I even get within a near distance of the door
A 1 year old nephew who runs to me smiling when I enter the door
A brother in law who never fails to make a joke
And a church who prays
God never promised us a constant supply of friends or new confidants in times of struggle. But one thing he promises us is that no matter how we feel, we are never alone. We can never be separated from his love.
And sometimes.. sometimes he uses those times to remind us of those he has forever placed in our lives. Our warm bodies that keep us from
feeling alone.
