Weekly Word~Carry each other's burdens

I've been busy in the middle of a Beth Moore study, and I haven't had the extra time to spend on "my own" quiet times, but what HAS been happening in my life is teaching me a lesson none-the-less.

I suppose I've always been sheltered from death. I mean, I've been to two funerals in my entire life, and I hadn't even met the ladies whose lives I celebrated. I took a class in college called "Death and Dying." Right. That class was horrible. I actually had nightmares every Wednesday night for an entire semester because of that class! I've lost family members, but they were never family members that I was close to, so I mainly mourned for my parents more than for myself. Don't get me wrong. I have lost in my life. I've lost BIG TIME. Someday I might even tell you about it, but I've never personally lost through death. We stared death in the face for awhile, again, a story for another time, but God, the Great Healer...healed.

Is that why my spirit is grieved when I find that someone ELSE has lost? We have a great friend who lost a brother several years back, and honestly, I love this friend like he was my own brother. I actually think that I physically grieved on his behalf. Romans 12: 15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn." I wondered if my grieving his great loss relieved (somehow) a small amount of his burden. After all, Galatians 6:2 says, "Carry each other's burdens..." I imagine my friend carrying a heavy load, and me walking up next to him and taking some of his load. Now we're both carrying a heavy load, but his load is a little bit lighter.

It was Homecoming weekend in our small town last weekend. The whole town celebrates and shows up for the game. Faithful Alumnae show up in droves! It's a lot of fun! But for me, it becomes a time of mourning, because having worked with so many of the high school kids, I know what horrible choices they will be making. God inevitably will put one or two of them on my heart, and my spirit just weeps for them. This was compounded this year, and by Sunday, I had totally dried up. But God doesn't let you off that easily...come Sunday, I ran into a sweet Sister-in-Christ who is going through a trial...a trial that no mother could possibly even begin understand, and my spirit just broke for her. You know those burdens, the ones that aren't eased by bringing over a meal? The ones you just don't have words for, but maybe a hug will communicate your sorrow? I'm not a crier, but I lost it. Leaving church, I ran into some dear friends who thanked me for bringing several meals to a dear Brother-in-Christ whose wife was taken suddenly to be with Jesus last Spring. Again, I lost it. And THEN, I ran into another Sister, who asked me about some of the high school kids at Homecoming...I left sobbing.

Isaiah 61: 1-3 says,
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has annointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."

Did you get that?
...bind up the brokenhearted
...comfort all who mourn
...provide for those who grieve
...bestow a crown of beauty instead of ashes
...the oil of gladness instead of mourning
...a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair!

GOD WILL REPLACE:
MOURNING
BROKENHEARTEDNESS
GRIEVING
ASHES
& DESPAIR
with
COMFORT
PROVISION
BEAUTY
GLADNESS
& PRAISE!

Luke 6: 21 says, "Blessed are you who weep now, for YOU...WILL...LAUGH! (my obvious emphasis there) God will raise you UP!

Don't misunderstand me here. THERE IS A TIME for mourning! Ecclesiastes 3:4 says, "...[there is] a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance." To me, this says that there is a healthy amount of time in which to spend mourning, but IT IS OKAY to continue on. IT IS OKAY to laugh and dance again! GOD IS NOT FINISHED WRITING YOUR STORY!

I was talking with a friend of mine a week or so ago, and he said that he had a "sad joy." I explained to him that I understood. You know why? Because there is a difference from being happy and being joyful. HAPPY...is circumstantial. JOYFUL is an underlying joy in Jesus...even when life is sad, painful or tough. I think of my dear friend whose husband cheated on her and left her with her beautiful daughter. Oh, she mourned...and I was right there with her, but she continued (and still does) to sign off all her letters, "Love and Joy in Jesus." Oh, how I love that lady. She has shown me so much. She is a perfect example of Psalm 30: 5, "...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."

We have a Hope, dear friends.
Our Hope does NOT disappoint!
ONE DAY!
ONE...GLORIOUS...DAY...
We are promised:

"...He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying of pain, for the old order of things had passed away." Rev. 21:1-4.