It’s time to let Jesus transform the broken parts…

Week Two: Recognizing Our Pain – There are often two extreme reactions to pain. On the one hand, the distractions and demands of daily life make it easy to bury our pain and just keep going as usual. On the other extreme, the pain becomes the focus of our life and we wallow in it, unable to see past the hurt. Neither leaves room for Jesus to enter into the pain with us so He can heal and transform us.

Who of us, faced with disappointing news, another setback, the loss of someone dear, hasn’t cried out like Martha – “Lord if you had been here . . .” So often we stop there. We forget Martha’s faith and trust. We forget that Jesus, even knowing He has the power to raise Lazarus and will do so, weeps with Martha. “Jesus wept.” (cf. John 11:35) We have a Savior who weeps with us, who longs to restore and transform us within the pain we carry. This is not all there is, but we have to acknowledge it.

This week, we invite you to take some time to examine where you feel abandoned, forgotten, or numb. Are there places of pain that you sweep away to just keep going with life? Are there wounds that you have become attached to – afraid or unable to move on? Are there areas of your life that bring you to doubt the goodness of God? Jesus wants to walk beside you through those places. Invite Him in.