“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in sprit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them, which persecute you; bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Rom. 12:10-15
Today’s Daily Devotional
One of the hardest experiences in life is to watch the health of a loved one slip away. There is nothing worse than the helpless feeling of not being able to take a person’s pain away or to stop sickness from taking over. It was hard to watch my grandmother’s health decline quickly in the hospital. It was even harder on me when her body gave up the fight and she passed away. I spiraled down into a dark and grief-stricken state. Handling her sickness was painful enough; I was totally unprepared for how hard her death would hit me. Through this major loss, our family found a way to pull closer together. But, unfortunately during this hard time, I also found out who my true friends were. I needed a friend to comfort me and to connect with me in a warm way. Sadly, I found none. Friends that seemed to be there when things were going well (When I could “bless” and benefit them with a hug or a warm word) did not have any for me. What a world of difference it would have made to have a friend reach out with a bit of tenderness during such a hard time. Kindness is not a deed; it is an attitude of the heart. It may only take a moment and a small effort to be a comfort to a hurting soul. Take the time to be the kind of friend that you would like to have. If you miss that opportunity, you may eventually lose the friendship.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
This world is so cold. Sometimes it makes me so sad, that I just want to cling to the safety of my family and never reach out and make myself vulnerable. Lord, that is not what you called believers to do. How can reach an unsaved world if I isolate myself at home? Help me to be strong when I don’t get when I need from others. Help me to rely on you for the comfort that my soul searches for. Help me to take the pain of rejection that I have felt over and over again in the past to only be more sensitive to how it can make another feel. Lord, give me a soft heart not for my offenses, and myself but for others and their needs, because I know through it all–you are truly supplying my needs. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.”
Thank you for reading Today’s Daily Devotional!