This week has been heartbreaking for me and so emotionally heavy.  We are all forever changed by the evil we witnessed in Las Vegas.  I go from being angry, to despair, to isolation, and back to “I have to do something.”   My heart hurts because I see the hurts of others.   

Life sometimes has a way of sucking the energy out of us in these times.   Whether you are rich or poor, successful or unsuccessful, young or old, mature or immature, male or female…we all experience these same emotions.  Pain is the great equalizer.  It removes the barriers of race, religion, status, gender, etc.  It is in pain that we are all the same and can all find a common ground.

Where do we turn when we are in this place emotionally? How do we cope? How do we finish well?  Who will help us?  Who will stand up on our behalf?  Will anyone be there? 

Have you ever been abandoned, left alone to fend for your self?  Maybe you were abandoned unintentionally.  Regardless you are left alone to figure life out.  You look to your left and to your right and there is no one there.  “No one is there,” that’s a revealing phrase.  No advocate.  No comforter.  Alone.  You may not realize it but many people go through life feeling this way.  You may be in a crowd of people, walking in a mall, or going down streets.  People feel as if they are quickly fading and alone. 

You and I have a gift.  It’s called the gift of comfort.  Real comfort is experienced when others come alongside us with a knowing presence.  How is it known?  I am able to come alongside someone else who has lost a loved one because I have lost a loved one.  I understand the pain, the questions, the finality of death.  My presence matters and so does the pain I have experienced.  Paul writes about this type of comfort in 2 Corinthians:  

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:4-5)

I’m not sure where you are emotionally today.  Your pain is not wasted.  It can count for something.  It can count for someone.  If you were doubting whether you can help someone or not in this week, don’t anymore.  We all need each other and we need to be known. Here are some tips I am using this week and I’d like to encourage you to do the same.  

How can you and I be a loving comfort to others this week?

I.  Come as soon as you can.

When someone is in need of a comforter, they need that comfort as soon as possible.  We all experience different kinds of needs.  However, when we have reached the end of our rope, its crucial.  Despair sets in.  Lies of the enemy begin to take hold in our hearts.  We begin to believe that no one cares.  When the rubber meets the road, no one will be there to plead on our behalf. 

Who do you know right now that is in need?  Are you willing to help them?  Do it as soon as you can.   

II.  Provide what is needed.

We all have needs and when we cannot provide for them, we need someone else to do it for us.  If God has given you the means to provide for another's needs then provide for them.  We all have an opportunity to invest into the lives of other people.  When our needs are provided for we have the comfort and confidence to go another day.  We are encouraged and know that we are not alone. 

III.  Be prepared for others to fight against you.

Not everyone is for what you are for.  Not everyone cares about you and your well-being.  In fact, they strongly oppose what you are for and desire to sabotage the good work that you are doing.  You have to realize this truth. It is worldwide. When you go to help others, know that you will encounter a fight from someone to stop you.  Judgment can be harsh and deeply wounding.  

I can remember early on in our adoption process how we faced this unexpected opposition.  You genuinely try to do what God wants you to do and instead of more help you receive more opposition.  You and I can expect an active fight against us when we attempt to do good for others.  

IV. Reject apathy. Act with a sense of urgency.

We can all get apathetic and overwhelmed with our needs as well as the needs of others. We must not be bogged down by circumstances or experiences and give in to the need to not act.  We can’t do everything but we can do something.  Only you know what you can do for another.  Don’t allow the overwhelming needs tocause you to give up and choose not to engage.  When we are overwhelmed, we can become paralyzed with fear and we stop caring.  The opposite of apathy is love.  When we choose to love, lives are changed.    Choose to love another today.  Choose to share your story and life with another and be a comfort.   

We can build hope from the ground up, one caring act built on top of another.  Choose to care.  Choose to comfort another.  I love the saying, “One heart gives, and two hearts smile.”    Love is more than an emotion, it is demonstrated with action.  Mother Teresa stated it best, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

I believe that our best days are before us…not behind us.  We all need a little encouragement, wisdom, and help from time to time.  We can’t accomplish our goals in isolation or always on our own.  We need each other.  Remember, you are not alone. It’s time to thrive.  Let’s do it together.  Click here to set up a Discovery Coaching call.       

Rick