Hurting People

I tend to be of the self-pitying sort. That's nothing to be proud of, of course. It's just true. I look at my life, the mistakes I've made, the things which just haven't worked out, and I feel bad about how things are. Even so, I understand that a good number of the things that I'm unhappy about are, in fact, my own doing.

A lot of misery is our own doing. It's called sowing and reaping. I waste my money and then have nothing to fall back on in times of crises. I quit exercising and eat heavy meals, so I got fat. I'm fat, so I have poor health. These are things I could have prevented before they even happened. They're my fault.

The world's financial collapse is not my fault, however. It was not my fault my company was sold, nor that the new ownership decided to dump half the staff. Floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes are not my fault. A lot of misery just happens.

Misery comes to so many people. When I was completely separated from other people my feelings of self-pity grew. Now, having met so many people on-line, I have come to realize that I hardly have a monopoly on suffering. In fact, there are untold numbers who would just love to trade problems with me. I have my spouse and my son. They are neither sick, dying, or gone. I have met people on-line who can no longer say that.

I have met people who are in danger of having their marriage revoked. Nothing I have to deal with. Yet.

There are people with such broken hearts it makes me seem cheerful on my worst day.

There are people who think so little of themselves they make me seem a tower of strength and confidence.

Hurting people. All around the world. I feel for them. It's made all the worse in that there is so so little I can do. All I know to do is love them. Care about them. Really care, I mean. Not this phoney, yeah I care, now get lost kind of thing. I have cried over some. But I can't help. I've no money for those who need that. I cannot raise the dead nor heal the sick. I cannot make anyone other than myself love another person. I am nearly helpless.

All I can think to do is point. Not a finger of condemnation and destruction, but of hope and inner release. I point to God, who I call Jesus. I realize most people do not like the idea that Jesus is God. They use a different name. That is fine. There is only one God. What we call him is less important than that we acknowledge him. The real him, and not a figment of our imagination.

Matthew (chapter eleven) New King James Version

[27] All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the ones to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

[28] Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

[29] Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

[30] For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

If you are troubled in heart, seek out God. The real God. Call him by whatever name you will. Just ask him if he will come talk with you, and live in your heart. Then begin to read God's holy word. You will find him.

Matthew (chapter seven) New King James Version

[7] Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knowck, and it will be opened to you.

[8] For everyone who asks receives, adn he who seeks finds, adn to him to knocks it ill be opened.

[9] Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

[10] Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

[11] If you then, being evil, know how to give good gives to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

[12] Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the Prophets.

Look for the answer. God always answers, but often in ways we do not understand until a lot of time has passed. So don't go thinking God has ignored you. More likely, you have not been paying attention to God. Don't presume to know how God will answer your prayer. Just know that he will.