Faith.
It’s more than a word.
Trust.
It’s more than an action.
You don’t know until it’s you…
Facing your body’s need for..
A kidney, liver, brain stem.
You don’t know til it’s you faced with
cancer, ataxia, tumor, Parkinsons.
You don’t know til you’re the one whose spouse, child, sibling or parent died –
In your arms, on your watch, in your home, in your classroom, on your property.
Yes, you may understand. You may feel you believe.
But understanding and knowing are not the same.
The other day I understood from an X-ray that I had a calcified bone spur that needed attention. Then, I was treated for it and know by experience (through the most excruciating pain I’ve ever felt in my life) that I had a calcified bone that needed attention. After weeping, crying, yelling, weeping again…I KNOW it’s an issue.
I’ve prayed, commanded, imagined, meditated, and levitated (not really) in faith, trust and authority. Not restored.
So, I took action steps to address it. Wow. I did not know I could withstand that kind of pain. Had no idea I could or would endure.
I left thanking God for a pain filled arm as I thought of a precious woman who literally has one arm due to a flesh eating bacteria that attached her other one. You just don’t know til you know…
You and I may understand with the head but are out hearts far away?
I’m learning to pause before I presume to truly know what pain, heart ache, confusion, loneliness, insecurity, or feelings of shut down another has. I’m learning to look around and find someone else who wants to be noticed, understood, listened to, acknowledged, remembered…LOVED…
I encourage you to receive fresh compassion for the hurting which might even include your pain.
Not empathy. Not sympathy. These are weak fleshly tools.
Compassion is powerful. It is a strong supernatural super power!!
Compassion is Love & kindness.
Time is priceless.
Your presence is valid. You’re important. You’re significant. You matter.
I encourage you to pause and look yourself in the eye. Then look that other person in the eye. You may feel pain you cannot resolve. You may see wisdom from suffering. You may even see God looking back at you. What will you say in response?
I encourage you not to presume that the person who no longer comes around to see you is lazy or busy. Maybe they too are passing through unspoken issues, pain.
At the end of the day, most are doing the best we can.
So, instead of deciding to discount that person whom you think should get it together …
or … condemn that person you think should know better …
or … talk down to that person whose worth is in the toilet without your reminder …
Or … forget the compassion you want if you ever have to walk in their shoes …
Or feel you have zero worth because you’re alone… so you make certain you’re not…
Remember, that hate – that low self esteem – that yucky feeling – you feel is only hurting yourself…your atmosphere.
So, let it go.
One more time.
Again. Learning. Soooooo much to learn about being present. Noticed. Unnoticed. I’ve been crying more. Listening. Realizing. Valued. Weak yet strong. I’m seeing my errors. I’m not feeling condemned but I’m seeing my own issues. Forgive me those who know me personally for not being present when present. Forgive me those who have felt condemned online.
When I was a kid I had a big mouth.
I talked wayyyy too much to cover it up.
I hated myself. I was filled with strife.
It’s took me years to forgive my own hell.
Love was the answer as was His reply.
Receive your inheritance of life.
From your spirit alive in Christ.
Sow into the incorruptible seed of Love ..
From Those within not just above.
More than a word
