Spiritual Things Matter

Pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
~Kahlil Gibran

It was July 29th, a day that would be seared into my heart and mind forever. It was a day that I felt the pain of loss and it would be a loss felt so deeply and so intensely that only tears shed could bring even the smallest amount of relief. It was a day that should have never happened the way it did, and yet nothing could stop it

As a piercing sharp pain went into my heart, I could only collapse over the steering wheel of my vehicle and sob, as I had not done in many years. I cried so hard that I lost all awareness of time and I entered into a space of profound aloneness, sadness, and grief. I had enough of an awareness to understand that the intensity of my pain was even more acute because of past losses that were so ingrained into the memories of every cell of my being. An open wound that has never been healed was once again injured, and the pain was excruciating.

It was in that moment when tears were streaming down my face, as if a dam had been broken, and I could hear and feel myself struggling to breathe when all at once, a song began to play on a CD that I had never listened to before. Why it was in the CD player and turned to that song at that very moment is a question that I can only answer by saying, “Amazing Grace.” This song stirred in me, once again, the “knowing” that God was with me. It was a song that I believe when it was written, God thought of me. I would love to know the person who wrote it and sang it. The words are beautiful and so fitting, as if I had written them myself. The music reached deep into my soul as it brought me into the presence of God. Thank you, Reckless Fingers, for “Walk with Me“! I want to share the words here with my dear readers today:

When I feel that I can’t go on,
When doors are closing upon me.
When friends turn away,
shrug their shoulders and say,
“We never were one of a kind anyway.”

When I know that the moment has come,
When I’m out and alone on my own.
That’s the time when I most
need someone to be close
and walk with me right down that road that I chose.

Then walk with me
He who has said,
“My Name is, I’ll be with you.”
Courage and faith I have only so little of.
So Lord, let me know that your Name is true.

Now my heart is heavy with sorrow,
but there is no way that I can let it show.
And it seems all my days -
it just has been this way,
whenever I’m weary, I’ve no place to go.

And I’ve heard of some people talking,
who claim that in heaven above -
we’re rewarded someday for our suffering today -
But Lord, I can’t wait for your help all that long.

Then walk with me,
He who has said,
“My Name is, I’ll be with you.”
Courage and faith I have only so little of.
So Lord, let me know that your Name is true.

~Reckless Fingers

God has many names. One name that we are all very familiar with is, “Emanuel” - which means “God with us.” This is an abiding truth for which I am deeply thankful. No matter what the sufferings are in our lives, we can forever trust in an abiding Presence who will bring strength and courage to our very tired soul at times - if we will but turn to Him. It is in those divine moments that we have the opportunity to know God more intimately as we experience His Love. It is through such a face-to-face encounter with God that we learn to be kinder and more loving to ourselves as well as to those around us. It is in our sufferings that we often see God’s wisdom, and we realize that happiness is a simple gift that can be embraced as we accept ourselves and this holy God that lives within us. Many of our illusions and pain can be healed by this very important, spiritual truth.

May you be comforted and strengthened today and all your days on this earth. May you know God’s love intimately and always have the courage to turn to Him with all your cares. May you rise with assuredness as you learn to love Him and those around you, that you may be one of the peacemakers upon our earth. May you walk humbly before your God and worship Him with purity and sincerity of heart. May your understanding be opened to the truth that He indeed is greater in you than all else in this world. Mostly, I pray that you now be still and be at peace!