Jesus Wept

Jesus wept. This simple phrase has an entire verse dedicated to it. John 11:35- "Jesus Wept." Why does the Bible have such a peculiar message tucked inside its hundreds of pages? Its thousands of verses? Its millions of lessons? I think this picture sums it up.

Photo credit: Holy Sews, Inc. Facebook page - 12/7/2019

We, as believers in Jesus Christ, have hope in the promise that life on Earth is not all there is. That one day we will be with God in Heaven, and that all brokenness, sin, and death will be gone forever. But that doesn't mean we can't be sad. That doesn't mean we can't cry.
As humans, we experience intense emotion. We feel happiness, excitement, love. But we also feel sadness, depression, heartbreak. These are all a natural part of life. Jesus experienced this.
Even as a human on Earth, Jesus knew everything, because He was still God. He knew what was coming, He knew the love in the present, and the triumph in the future. He knew that Lazerus was coming back to life. But He still cried.
If the Creator of the universe can cry when someone dies, would it not seem perfectly fine for mere mortals, created in the likeness of the Creator, to also cry? And not just in death, but when someone hurts you, when it was a horrible day at work, when that relationship ended. You may realize at the time, a few days later, a few years later, that those things were temporary, and were so small compared to what lies ahead. But that doesn't mean you can't feel the pain now, that you can't mourn now, that you can't cry in the moment, because it does hurt. There's no getting around the pain, you always have to go through it (Ps. 23:4a).
There is nothing more comforting to a hurting heart than someone who will cry with you. Jesus knew this. He cried with Mary and Martha. He felt the sting of the death of His friend, but He also felt the pain it caused the others who also loved Lazerus. Jesus reminded the others of the coming glory, but He also took the time to mourn with them, just as it says in Romans 12:15 - "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
If you see someone else hurting, just weep with them.
If you are the person that is hurting, and you feel like it's a small thing, but you just feel the pain of it, it's okay to cry. It's okay to feel the pain, even if you know it will go away.

Just some thoughts...

Have you ever loved to do something so much, you wanted to do it all the time? But then you got busy, and other things took priority, and that activity that brought you so much joy was thrown to the wayside.
This happened to me. When I was thirteen, I started to discover things, things that quickly became my passions. I found history, reading, and writing. I was obsessed with these three things the most, with a few other interests gaining momentum.
But life happened when I was about sixteen. Suddenly those things didn't matter as much as what was going on in my family. As the years passed, my love for the 3 (history, reading, writing) never died out. They were a quiet part of me, waiting for their time to shine again.
A little over a year ago I rediscovered these passions. It started with reading about history, then expanded into writing, and then back into reading. Now I can't imagine giving them up ever again.

What are some passions you have? Are they healthy or helpful? Why do you think you have these passions?

Here's the thing about my love of writing: I started at a very young age. My mom boasts about a time I made up some stories about twin egg brothers from a small children's TV show. She wrote down the stories and I drew the pictures. But it wasn't till I was much older that it became something I truly understood and desired. People that have read some of my writing tell me I know how to tell a story, and that I have a unique way with words. I don't fully comprehend what they mean. All I know is that I have the most wonderful feeling deep down inside when I write.
All I can say is that God has given me this gift to write. I must write for His glory, and not my own. It is very easy to take the compliments and move on feeling good about myself, but the truth is I need to start giving God the glory for this gift He has given me.

What about the gifts you possess? Do you feel something deep down inside that makes you happy when you use these gifts? From my experience, this is a special gift from God. Thank Him for it, and use it to His glory.

~Elizabeth :)
Jesus Loves You! <3

Just Listen

What do you do when someone shares their sorrow with you?

While no one has shared their deepest darkest sorrow with me, they have hinted to their feelings. Usually, I'm at a loss about what I'm supposed to do. Should I pray with them? Should I change the subject to a happier one? Should I say I know how they feel, or share a similar experience?

I think part of this is our culture's need to react or respond quickly. Sometimes the best thing we can do is just listen. Don't try to fix their problems. Just listen. Hold their hand, cry with them.

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." Romans 12:15

I usually don't think about being quiet and listening. Sometimes someone else's problem may not seem like a big deal to you. The thing is, they are in a dark moment. Be in the moment with them, for just a second. If you were in their shoes, you would feel the weight of the sorrow they are currently experiencing.

If you were in a dark place, and you shared your pain with someone, wouldn't you want them to just understand for a minute? They want the same thing, even if it's something silly.

After they come out of that dark place, after all the fear and sorrow is over, they will look back and realize either it wasn't that bad after all, or they will just be happy they made it through. But the one thing they will remember the most is not what you said, but how you treated them, how you sat beside them, held their hand, listened, and cried with them. That is a better comfort, a better gift, than anything you could say.

~Elizabeth :)

Jesus Loves You! <3