Today’s Reflection
NO WOUND is so trivial that the love of God is not concerned with it. No pain is so deep, so long-standing, that the love of God cannot reach it.
Every shock, every bleeding wound, every anger and grief is not only encompassed by that love but is also held and transformed by that love. The fact that it is in what we call the “past” makes no difference to the power of God’s love.
- Flora Slosson Wuellner
Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds
From page 28 of Prayer, Stress, and Our Inner Wounds by Flora Slosson Wuellner. Copyright © 1985 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
Are you holding on to past wounds? Invite God’s love to surround you. Share your thoughts.
Today’s Scripture
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2, NRSV
This Week: pray for those with cancer and their families. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section below.
Did You Know?
Church leaders in Zimbabwe struggle to gather and distribute Christian educational materials for their congregations. Pastor Phillip Musharu is leading an effort to grow distribution of The Upper Room daily devotional guide to help meet the need for resources. Read more about Musharu here or visit www.upperroom.org/gift to donate to the Africa Initiative.
Saints, Inc.:
This week we remember Florence Nightingale (August 13).
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Sponsored by Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2012, a ministry of GBOD | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Memory makes it hard to heal old wounds even when the wounds are more imagined than real. When we are in a tough situation false accusations can and do really hurt. I’ve discussed the situation with others and they agreed that what was said was out of a person’s own anguish and not an accusation. I’ve asked for forgiveness and believe that has been done.
Yes, Lord, be with those who have cancer and their families, may your peace and love sustain them, give them hope, and give them rest
as you know what is best.
robert
I’ve read your comments for some time. It is refreshing to have you be able to be real — to touch your hurt.
May God bless.
A relationship continues to be a burden to me, something a year ago I couldn’t even imagine with this person. My reactions are poor and I realize (although not often enough) that I am just giving Satan an opening each time I “go there”.
More grace, God. More trust – that You hold the future of this relationship…and that You call me to be kind and to love.
May I pause – just a second longer – the next time my mind is ready to race off.
My dear friend’s husband (who is like a sister) is encountering a bout with prostate cancer…treatment has started; when I thought about him and God … I was reminded of how God is faithful time and time again. I have gone to God in prayer for him and the family for peace and strength as the treatments are administered and that God’s healing power will rule over all.
Prayer for emotional healing for me as well … to TOTALLY give the past to God so that I can receive His bountiful love.
I really like how you capitalized the word total. For me at times I did myself falling short of that total word and that as I want to do Gods will theirs things that I still want to hold onto. With prayer I hav faith it will become easier. Thank you for reminding me that in order to be all I can I have to let God take my life and do as he wish with it.
Our precious daughter, Jessy died this past October 31, she was only 25 and had fought cancer actively for 4.5 years. I say actively only because that’s how long we knew she had it, though it was longer because of the size of her tumor.
Some days the grief is like a lead blanket shrouding me and coving me in its’ weight and darkness and other days, I find myself laughing over some of the silliest things we did. Although she had married 18 months before she died, I was still her primary caregiver and her best friend.
I actually feel the power of prayer from others, that’s the days it’s good and I know God has me. I should be able to do more to keep this from coming on, and I have improved soooo much, but I would like to have prayer from anyone who has the time to read it. You would make a grieving Mamma’s heart heal.
Thank you,
Becky Garrett
My prays are with you. God is Love.
You have my prayers Becky.
The Upper Room Prayeer Center has a real live person on it from 7AM – 11 PM daily.
I will pray for you. Losing a child must be like a knife in a Mother’s (and Father’s) heart. On your darkest days may God send you the light of His love and comfort you.
Hi Becky, My heart goes out to you so much over the the death of your precious daughter Jessy. I lost my son, Jimmy, 2 years ago this month on August 11. He was 31. Like you and your Jessy, he and I were very close and I miss him and think about him every day. The grief was like a heavy weight for so long, but in the past few months it has gotten lighter as I remember all the good times and not so much “if I had only done this or done that” I joined a grief support group for parents who had lost a child and that was helpful. My prayers are with you. – Kathy
First of all Id like to take time to pray for those suffering a medical illness. I pray that they find strength in the Lord and that they do not loose their faith in Him. I pray for their family members, loved ones and friends, that they find peace in their lives and also find stength in the lord.
Father please watch over all those suffering with an illness. Send your angles to them and keep their hearts pure. I love you. Amen.
Now I would like to take this moment to ask God to remove my burdens of the past. I’m having trouble letting go of someone in my past. Well actually a few people. I pray for the strength to stay on my road of recovery and that when the time is right that God will have us come together again with even more stronger bonds. God is Love.
Depending on the road you’re on, sometimes we have to let our old friends go on their road because they are not good for us. Such friends can be more of the Evil One’s doing than of God’s doing.
God IS love.
Thanks Buzz.
I have to forgive myself for my past injuries before I can hear God’s forgiveness. I have to get all the infection out of the wound whether emotional, spiritual or physical before that wound can start to heal. All this hurts. But the alternative of allowing the injury to continue to fester is not healthy. God is with me. But, I must do the work.
Awesome comment. You are so right! Thank you for sharing that with us. God IS Love~*
Dear Becky,
My heart goes out to you. I lost my 53 year old son to cancer 4 years ago.
There is a bond like no other between parents who have lost a child because only they know the pain that it brings—different from any other loss. Though I still have the hole in my heart which will always be with me, the pain has become easier to live with and I can remember him with love and laughter more often than with pain and tears. It will get easier Becky, I promise you. Allow yourself to grieve–it brings its own healing as do tears. Feel your feelings–whatever they may be. Try to contact the organization, Compassionate Friends,which is for those of us who have lost a child. I will be praying for you. God loves you.
Hi Laura, just wanted to comment on your words – As I wrote to Becky, I lost my son 2 years ago and the grief was so hard. Your words are full of compassion, and like you I remember my son more now with the good times than with so much grief. Although the tears still come, it does not hurt so much.
becky, kathy, and laura, God bless you and all who have lost a child. i believe our Father has a special place in His heart for you. after all, He knows what it feels like. may His peace and love heal your heart and His joy fill your heart.