Sunday Morning Coffee: Heartache

(1)   When your heart is aching, turn to Jesus,

He’s the dearest Friend that you can know;

You will find Him standing close beside you,

Waiting peace and comfort to bestow.

Chorus

Heartaches, take them all to Jesus,

Go to Him today,

Do it now without delay.

Heartaches, take them all to Jesus,

He will take your heartaches all away.

(2)   There is joy for every troubled sorrow,

Sweet relief for every bitter pain,

Jesus Christ is still the great Physician,

No one ever sought His help in vain.

(3)   Jesus understands, whate’er the trouble,

And He waits to heal your wounded soul.

Will you trust His love so strong and tender?

He alone can make your spirit whole.

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I hear a lot of heartache in my counseling office. I hear stories about men who have no intention of marrying, yet they expect all the benefits of being married. I hear about women who are completely self-centered, having no time or interest in supporting husband or child. I hear of children who are angry and hurtful to parents and grandparents, turning away from those who have loved them as soon as they can afford to find a dump of a place to live in–anywhere is better than the house they grew up in. I hear about parents who have been incredibly abusive to their children, but somehow get away with it; at the same time, a good father is accused by a bitter mother-in-law of sexually molesting his daughters, and it takes over a year to clear his name.

The world is full of injustice.  Satan is ramping up the heat as he sees his end coming nearer. People have listened to lies about God, about faith, about Christianity. They have decided that “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” is good advice.

I heard about a new “game” today, something called Blue Whale, in which the administrator challenges participants to commit deeds to show their courage. The last thing they are challenged to do is to take their own lives.

We have lost all sense of the value of human life, created by God in His own image. We are driven with every wind of doctrine, tossed back and forth like a tiny boat on a raging ocean.

I was talking with a dear friend today who has gone through her own valley of the shadow of death and come through it triumphant, but there were many pitfalls along the way.  As we reminisced, I thought about what  a really wonderful life I’ve had.  Growing up in a lower middle class neighborhood where there wasn’t much wealth, but instead a wealth of love, was a great experience. I married a godly man who has stood by me for 48 years.  I have four children who have all married well, and who are all serving the Lord in their local churches.

I’ve been privileged to be a stay-at-home mom, a high school teacher, and now a counselor in a Christian counseling practice.  A charmed life, compared to what many others have had to deal with.

I have some physical issues, but we all do.  We’ve never been wealthy, but we’ve never been destitute.  God has provided for us through His people, and through our own ability and determination to work hard–something else we’ve taught our children to do.

I have so much that I’m thankful for.  I need to be more thankful than I am.

As you go to your various churches this morning, meditate on that for which you are thankful. Put the details in their proper place and focus on what you are about to do; the people you will minister to; and the God Who has all of it in His hand.