Day 2 - Dealing with the lonely moments ...

As we saw from yesterday's devotional reading, God is an Expert at taking rather unpleasant situations and producing purposeful outcomes. However, this does not remove from the day-to-day reality when you or your loved one is in prison.

For the person in his or her cell, what do you do with hours on end of silence? What do you do when your view of the world is limited to what you can see through the bars in the corner of the cell? … You can remember that Jesus is there. As crammed as it may be, as long as you have invited Jesus into your heart, He is right there with you. Whether you see Him or not. Even if that's all you can hold on to, this very truth is sufficient to keep you going on the worst days.

For the woman who is struggling to shoulder the burden of the additional role of ‘daddy’ whilst her partner is not there, God sees you. He sees the lonely moments when you just long to be held. He sees you late at night after you've tucked the children into bed and the tears roll down your cheeks uncontrollably. He sees; He hears; He knows.

For the young person who is growing up without their parent and is longing for a worthy example, let Jesus be your Role Model. Let Him in, for He longs to heal your heart and guide your life. He can lead your ‘daily walk’ and guide you towards godly people who will walk this journey of life with you.

An encouraging verse in these lonely moments is Psalm 34:18 - "The LORD is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit". Even when we can't see Him or anyone else for that matter, God is right there; all the time.

You know what's more? God is Omnipresent - a word that simply means that He is everywhere at every time! Therefore, you can call on Him for help at any moment. As Psalm 145:18 reminds us, He is near us whenever we call on Him sincerely. Let that truth sink in for a moment...

You don't have to bear this burden alone. You don't need to figure out the next steps all on your own. He wants you to invite Him in. He wants to help you process what has happened. However, because He is the Perfect Gentleman, He won't barge in. He will just keep knocking gently on the door of your heart… As you allow Him into those painful places, you will encounter aspects of God that you hadn't quite experienced before. Why don't you let Him in today?

Prayer:

Lord, if I'm honest, I feel so alone right now! However, I know that I am never alone because You are always with me - right where I am. Please send me a glimpse of Your presence today. Wrap me in Your arms and remind me of Your love, daily. Thank You Father. Amen

Reflection:

On YouTube, search for and listen to the song Who's There? God's There [Live], by the Kenoly Brothers; it is a beautiful reminder of God's Presence. Also, spend some time pondering the lyrics^ (included below for easy reference):

I may never know
The heartache that you feel
Sometimes cold winds blow
Life's pain becomes real

The silent tears you cry
Can never go unheard
For God is standing by
Before you say a word

Who's there, God's there
Always right by your side
Who's there, God's there
Always standing close by

Your life may seem hard
When everything goes wrong
See fear can grip your soul
And your doubts can be so strong

Remember Jesus knows
The heartache that you feel
And He wants to hold, hold you
Hold you until you heal

He's right there with you
Standing next to you
He's right there by your side
So don't be afraid
Because He won't go away
God's right there
Standing by