My hands were frozen! Thirty-degree weather is not the sort of weather where you go gloveless. So, I pulled on a glove.
“Oww!!”
What in the world was in there?!
A shooting pain coursed through my left hand, while driving! Pulling off the glove and trying not to crash, I found a thorn inside it. How did that get there? I removed the thorn and pulled on my other glove…
“Owww!”
It happened again! A needle-like pain hit me in multiple places on my hand. Dang!!! I turned at the next road because I was supposed to get to the grocery store, yet the second I made my turn, I realized I just made a wrong turn. Grr… The pain in my hand was so disconcerting and distracting that I couldn’t even go the right way.
Now I was headed the opposite way.
Because of all the pain, I had lost my way. Because I had a thorn hurting me, I couldn’t think straight. Because I was so focused on my flesh, I couldn’t see the turns I should make.
Some of us are in a situation very similar to this. Because of all the pain, we aren’t listening to God’s truth, His voice, and His Word; therefore, we make wrong turns. Because of the thorn of our marriage or hurtful relationships, we can’t think straight anymore (instead, we think angry and bitter thoughts). Because of the pain, we focus on preserving our flesh, instead of laying down our life in love. Here, God’s pathway to resurrection-life power is often missed.
“Love never fails…” (1 Cor. 13:8)
Jesus is “the Way”. (See Jo 14:6)
Jesus is “the Truth”. (See Jo. 14:6)
The only way to find our way in hard relationships is to get our mind off the pain of it and onto Him who is Love, The Way and The real Truth…
…only then, do we find our way!
How have you been numbing, catering to, and managing pain, rather than looking to the Author and the Perfecter of Faith? How has this affected your love, your marriage, and your words?
Dear friends, I understand it is hard, but I also want to encourage you — there is “a way”, even if it looks dead. Turn to Jesus, ask Him to help you.
“No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.” (Jo. 15:13 AMPC)
This is not an easy calling; it requires God, friends. He will help you.
Invitation: Tonight, is the “Help My Marriage” Workshop at 6:00 ET. The recorded version is available for those who cannot attend the live gathering. Gain encouragement, hope, help, wisdom and support to stand strong. You do not struggle alone; let’s pray for one another. Register here.
Prayer: Father, help me! Shepherd me in the way I should go. Lead me in the way of love, everlasting. Guide me in all truth. Give me power to lay down my life, like Jesus did, for those I love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Subscribe for all Purposeful Faith blog posts by email – click here.
