When You Are Hurting
By Micky Galloway

Hurt and disappointment are common to most people. We've all experienced the joy and happiness of hope for a period of time, only to have it crushed by reality. The tragedy of such disappointments is that they can be frequent, and the pain does not necessarily decrease with the frequency of the experience. Disappointment hurts and keeps on hurting. I have often said that I find it easier to be angry with someone than to be disappointed. The hurt of disappointment is harder to overcome. Time and time again, it resurfaces uninvited, tormenting our minds with terrible anguish.

At such times, we would do well to remember that others who have gone before have also had their share of hurts and disappointments. Jeremiah met with despair that is almost unimaginable, so much so that we hear his plaintive cry, "Oh, that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them." (Jeremiah 9:2) Jeremiah wanted to run away to a desolate place out in the wilderness.

Do you ever feel as though you'd just like to run away and hide; or maybe you are so down, you wish you could just die? Elijah felt that way! He seemed to have every reason to feel discouraged, even to the point of wanting to die.

King Ahab's ungodliness led Israel into such sin that God withheld rain from them for more than three years (1 Kings 18:17-18; 16:30-33). Queen Jezebel massacred God's prophets and was trying to kill Elijah (1 Kings 18:4; 19:1-3). The people were uncommitted and unwilling to do what was right (1 Kings 18:21). It seemed as though Elijah was all alone in his misery, "Then said Elijah unto the people, 'I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah, but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.'" (cf. 1 Kings 18:19, 22) Yet, as Elijah hid in a mountain cave, the first thing God said to him was, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9)

Distressing issues confront us daily. As we face these issues, we must make choices; but to make good choices, we have to set priorities. Setting proper priorities requires that a person have clear vision regarding his purpose, which is to honor and glorify God. We must pursue life's purpose with faith, hope, and love. To do this, we must focus on today's choices. We cannot dwell on the past, or be overly anxious about the future. We often must forget what lies behind and forgive ourselves and others for the wrongs that occurred in the past. We must leave tomorrow to itself (Matthew 6:25-34). When we are hurting and struggling with life to make proper decisions for today, what can we do?

Remember what God has done for you in the past. God had commanded the ravens to feed Elijah. He had commanded the widow of Zarephath to sustain him and had provided a jar of meal that would not waste and a cruse of oil that would not fail (1 Kings 17:1-7; 8-16). In the contest with the prophets of Baal, God used His divine power to provide victory over evil and error (1 Kings 18:36-40). The Psalmist assured us of God's provisions for the righteous, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalm 37:25) Jesus also assured us, "Be not therefore anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or, 'What shall we drink?' or, 'Wherewithal shall we be clothed?' For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first His kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:31-33) Concerning victory over sin and death, Paul assured us that our labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:55-58).

Believe God's promise that He cares; and you are not alone. While Elijah slept under a juniper tree, God sent an angel who told him, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for thee." After consuming the cakes and the water God had provided, Elijah "Went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights ... " (1 Kings 19:5-8) Though Elijah felt that he was alone in Israel, God reminded him that there were yet, "Seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal..." (1 Kings 19:18; cf. Romans 11:1-5) When we feel that God has deserted us, perhaps we need to remember His promise, "I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. So that with good courage we say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6) God gives us the things necessary to make us everything he wants us to be. Paul said, "By the grace of God I am what I am ..." (1 Corinthians 15:10; cf. Romans 5:1-5) Yes indeed, God cares.

Realize that God still has work for you to do. There were yet kings and prophets to be anointed (1 Kings 19:15-16). We have yet to do much work that causes us to focus outside ourselves. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul said, "Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing (I do), forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before. I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." This is not just busywork, but a demonstration of our faith. We do this because it is right! If your faith is to count for anything, it must count for everything when you are discouraged and disappointed. Therefore, strengthen your personal faith (cf. Luke 17:5). "Be strong and of good courage." (Deuteronomy 31:6-8) If we are not making regular deposits to increase our faith, life's trials will bankrupt our faith accounts.

Don't forget to pray. The very act of prayer is an expression of one's dependence on a power greater than his own. Jesus said in John 15:5, "Apart from me ye can do nothing... " We need God, and He has promised, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8) Prayer is not a futile act. God would not draw nigh to men were He not able and willing to hear the prayers we offer Him. Paul said, "In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7) Peter said, "Cast all your anxiety upon Him, because He careth for you ... (1 Peter 5:7)

It is reassuring to know that the affairs of the universe are not so absorbing of God's attention that He cannot give heed to the affairs of individual souls. Among the burdens we must bear are hurt, disappointment, and discouragement (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:2). We must not allow these to keep us from doing the Lord's work. With Jesus as our example, we must busy ourselves in His vineyard. There is much to do and there is no place for idle, disappointed, discouraged Christians to sit down and feel sorry for themselves. It just is not an option.

Brother Galloway reminds us that suffering, trials, sickness, heartache, and simply growing older bring each of us a degree of hurt. I would like to include with this good article some other advice given by those in the Scriptures when they were hurting. Please give sober reflections to these words of encouragement:

  1. Following Job's trials, he said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him." (Job 13:15)

  2. What was in Abraham's mind when God asked him to offer Isaac on the altar? "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, 'In Isaac your seed shall be called,' concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense." (Hebrews 11:17-19)

  3. What did Paul think as he sat in a Roman prison knowing his life was about to come to an end? "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

  4. In an effort to help save her people, Esther was called upon to go before the king, even though he had not called for her, and it might mean her own death. "Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!" (Esther 4:16)

  5. Three Jews in Babylonian captivity were facing a fiery furnace. What did they say to the great king who was about to throw them into the furnace? "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.'" (Daniel 3:16-18)

  6. As Jesus hung slowly dying on the cross, having been scourged, spat upon, ridiculed, punched, kicked, mocked, and deserted by his own disciples, what did He say regarding those who were murdering Him? "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots." (Luke 23:34)

Yes, at times this world gives us very difficult rows to hoe. Life looks bleak, and we see no light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. To whom can we turn when distress, worry, and anxiety grip our minds? There's only ONE Who can help us manage our problems and keep them from overwhelming us; and He promised He'd never leave us (Hebrews 13:5,6). To whom do you turn when you're hurting? (KMG)


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