Through the Pain

We came home and Nathan quickly ran into the backyard and climbed his favorite tree. A few minutes later, he was screaming at the top of his lungs. He had fallen down the tree and scraped up his back.  He screamed for about 40 minutes or so (he was more than crying, he was screaming).  I sprayed some antibacterial medication on the cut which just made him scream more.  I held him close and he hugged me tightly as if he would never let me go.

During all the screaming, his head laying on my shoulder, he made a sniffle noise and said, "Dad, you always make it feel better."

 One of the greatest truths that I have learned as a Christian, is that we face life's disappointments just like everyone else. We get sick, lose our jobs, have family issues and have financial problems. However, God never said that we would not face these real world experiences, in fact, His word says that we are to expect it.  What His Word does say, is that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5).  God goes through these trial and tribulations with us. He reveals to us a great mystery of  depending on His strength and His power to see us through life's hardest moment.  The Bible says that tribulations produce endurance (James 1:2).

While Nathan was screaming bloody murder, I held him close to me. The scrapes were still there, but he was able to bare through it just knowing that I was holding him.  Whatever struggle you may go through, remember that God is going through it with you and He is holding you close.  Rely upon His strength and power to see you through the pain.  He takes all your weariness and gives you rest. What a great trade off, we can give God all of our problems and He gives us rest. (Matthew 11:28 )