As you’ve seen me mention in recent blog posts, there is more to life than what we can even imagine.  There is more hope, more love, more joy, more peace, more purpose, more forgiveness than we can comprehend.  No matter what you are going through, I know there is more in store for you, because I’ve seen it in my own life.  Although I trust in His goodness, I’ll be honest.  There are times when I’ve written something off for my life, because I’ve thought, “He has blessed me so much.  Surely, He can’t bless me in this area, too.”  And, of course, in true God-style, He then shows me that He can and He will bless me that much, much more than I ever imagined was possible.  I want you to experience that same super-abundance of blessings from God by accepting that no matter what you have gone through, you are loved, you are forgiven, you can experience peace and joy, there is hope.  Through Him all of these good things flow.  The question is, are you willing to accept that they are, or are you stuck in a place where you think that you are being punished, are unloved, unworthy, or forgotten?

I have found a wonderful devotion series online by Family Life, www.familylife.com, which addresses this very issue.  Each week, I will be sharing my own thoughts with you, along with a new devotion from their series, in the hopes that helps you on the journey to acknowledging and accepting more for your life.

Last week, in the first step of accepting that there is more to your life, we looked at how you are not alone.  Today’s devotion takes us on the next step of our journey in accepting more by focusing on how God sees and understands your pain.  I know, I know…..when you are in that deep dark place of difficulty, pain or loss, you sometimes think that no one could ever understand what you are feeling.  I felt such despair as a teenager when I found out the truth about surviving an abortion, and I can honestly say that no one but God brought me through that dark place, no matter how much I tried to distance myself from my pain, which distanced me from Him.  Luckily for me, luckily for all of us, He never leaves our side, no matter how we try to run from Him.  God sees our pain and He understands it.  Jesus has experienced great pain and suffering, Himself.

Here’s a little background on the devotion and the Day 1 devotion from Family Life :  http://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/faith/essentials/growing-in-your-faith/god-has-not-forgotten-you-a-31-day-devotional#.UtQiDvRDsg0:

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Day 2: He Sees and Understands Your Pain–Devotion as written originally by Family Life and posted on www.familylife.com

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. (Psalm 34:15)

God knows in great detail the devastation caused by tragedy. He understands the pain and sorrow acquainted with grief and loss. He understands because He is all knowing. Furthermore, Jesus endured suffering (see Isaiah 53), and experienced pain, even the pain of feeling abandoned (see Matthew 27:46). And because God is with you always, He knows that you are hurting. He sees your pain, and hears the cries of your heart. You are not alone in your suffering; He is there for you.

God cares very deeply about you, and is attentive to every detail of your life—even those things that burden your heart. 1 Peter 5:7 says that you should cast “all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Isn’t it comforting to know that God Almighty cares about you! It may seem like your life has been shaken to the core, but His love for you is never shaken. “‘For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ says the Lord who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10).

No matter how bad things may seem God is in control. Nothing happens without His knowledge. Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Not one sparrow (What do they cost? Two for a penny?) can fall without your Father knowing it. … So don’t worry! You are more valuable to Him than many sparrows.” If God’s eye is on the sparrow, He’s most certainly watching you. In the midst of sadness and uncertainty, His hand is there to guide you; His strength is there to support you. You are never out of His reach.

Taking back your life …

  1. Look again at Isaiah 54:10 (above). How does this scripture apply to you and help to make your current circumstances bearable?
  2. The writer of Psalm 121 says this of God in verse 8, ” He keeps His eye upon you as you come and go and always guards you” (TLB). How does it feel to know that God keeps watch over you and is attentive to every detail of your life?
  3. In Psalm 138:8, the writer, offering thanksgiving and praise to God said confidently, “The Lord will work out His plans for my life—for Your loving-kindness, Lord, continues forever.” (TLB). Why not take a few moments to express to God your confidence in Him to work out His plans for your life.

Additional Scripture reading:

  • Psalm 41:1
  • Psalm 121:3
  • Psalm 139:7-12,17,18

I encourage you to not only read the additional scriptures that are provided, but to visit the Family Life website for more of their helpful resources.  Until next week’s posting of the next devotion and my thoughts on how there is more for your life, I hope that you find continued strength in knowing that  not only are you not alone, but that God sees and understands your pain.

#thereismoremonday