Heaviness

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Last weekend we had a tragedy in our group of friends.  Friends who we've known since college, who were in our wedding, who we've done life with despite the time and distance between us.  Our friends grieved the death of their baby girl.  It was sudden, it was shocking, and the grief and love shared by all of their friends was overwhelming.   I have been amazed reading of their strength and hope during this time, a strength which can only come from a true and genuine depth of faith.  My heart is heavy for them.

Last night we had a young man over for dinner, who was born and raised a Muslim and converted to Christianity last year.  He shared with us about the political unrest he grew up around; that if he went to demonstrate in the streets, he would be captured and tortured.  This has happened to those closest to him.  He knows that if he returns to his country, he will most definitely be put to death for his faith in Jesus.  He knows that because of this choice he has made, he will likely never see his family again.  So he lives here, in a hotel room, alone.  His story broke my heart, because that's not the way it should be.  My heart is heavy for him.

We also found out that Mike, who was living with us for awhile, is homeless again and living  under a bridge nearby.  Our youth group went to serve at  Homeless and Hungry ministry outreach, and he was there.  My heart is heavy for him.

We are going through all sorts of trials with Micah's class at school, that I won't go into here.  The parents have every right to be upset, and major change is needed in many areas, and I feel helpless.  I am trying to be a light in the midst of chaos and anger, while experiencing that same anger, and it is not easy.  My heart is heavy.

While my heart is heavy, I do not feel hopeless.  I have to hold on to hope, believing that God can do great things in the midst of these circumstances.  If I walk around hopeless, how am I any different than unbelievers?  I am sure that you feel heavy about many things in your life as well.  The only thing that brings me any peace is bringing my concerns to God and laying them at His feet.  He is truly the only one that can change these circumstances.  

I will leave you with a Scripture that my friends (who lost their baby) posted on their Facebook wall the day after this happened.  May I have this same kind of hope and faith:

‎2 Corinthians 4:8-18 (New International Version)

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.