Hold On Pain Ends

H.O.P.E. – Hold On Pain Ends

SCRIPTURE:  

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

—James 1:19-21—

THOUGHT: 

Have You Ever Felt Useless? Have you ever felt as if your efforts have been completely benign without any purpose or reward? Recently, I was faced with a substantial change in my life, the loss of a job that was near and dear to my heart. The feelings that accompanied the loss were a myriad of emotions. Initially and most pronounced, a feeling of shock and disbelief at the very thought of it. Now, I suppose that nearly everyone has experienced the loss of a job. The specific situation may be different for each person, but the associated feelings are eerily similar. If you have been the receiver of such a dismal message, you feel acquainted with the initial feeling of a hole in your heart, that seemingly can never be filled again. There is a universality of these feelings, in all different walks of life. The banker, the teacher, the mechanic, the janitor – quite different jobs but equitable in their feelings after such a loss. Then comes the feeling of anger. Oh, yes, that devious “monster” of anger quickly and boldly rears its ugly head and seems to encompass all that you see, hear, or touch. It has at least a few stages too. First, a righteous anger. That is normal and needs to unfold, be examined, and live out its life. Unfortunately, though, it debilitates into the next stage of a feeling of worthlessness. This stage is retaliatory, inescapable, and pseudo righteous in every aspect. Looking back later, upon reflection, those feelings are clearly driven by personal pain and self-pity rather than what could be utilized to change the world for the better. The perpetrator of the news no longer even remembers there was a situation. Their memory of anything that occurred is absent. For the receiver though, the feelings linger, lounging about, reiterating the already-entrenched worthlessness. Thankfully though, God can and does start, through prayer, time, and friends, to metamorphosize the feelings into something better. Oh, yes, the negative feelings still reside deep in your heart, frustratingly popping out during the early morning hours or when extreme fatigue has camped out. Those feelings should not be contemplated lightly. They are valid and should be recognized as a part of the journey. Yet, slowly but surely, that feeling, if allowing for the light of Jesus Christ and conversation with other Christians who care for you, can lose its’ veracity, and start the journey of temperance and time-assuaged healing. The anger slowly makes clumsy attempts at loftier goals, as if the “good twin” comes out, struggling to reach higher than its “dark” cohort. Instead of being a place to wallow, it longs to be the springboard for HOPE! It wants to embolden the soul to walk again, one step at a time, one task at a time, one day at a time. It gains momentum, with the help of faith and friends, altering its’ persona into one of reason and forward thinking. Be aware, there are still days of despair. Anger, if it is allowed by the soul, can be an illness of sorts, longing for visitors to sit by its’ bedside, holding its’ hand, and commiserating with anyone who will listen. As it changes though, with time and the Word of God, it can become light, good, and helpful. With Gods’ help, the feelings of anger from losing one thing, can be changed into a new purpose for Gods’ people. With the help of our Savior, we can change the dark abyss of anger into the light of hope outside or ourselves. Are you the person that listens to someone in pain? Are you the one that helps them to make a breakthrough from anger and worthlessness into someone who then brings hope others?

PRAYER:

May the Word, the Holy Word be given unto me so that I can comfort others. Help me Lord to be the first person to recognize someone who is experiencing worthlessness and give them hope. Let Your Grace help me to be a conduit to lifting someone up from the depths of anger to the light of You and Your Kingdom. Create in me a heart of compassion so that someone else will recognize their God-created worth and unique qualities. AMEN.