Posted by Michael A. La Framboise on Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Under: Meditations
As I pray for Hannah I am struck by a thought. As I think of her suffering, and as I am told of her own prayer request for God to keep her faith strong during a time when she feels spiritually abandoned, I am cut to the quick. This is what personal ministry is all about. It's about you and me, encouraging each other about something which we both believe, but niether of us can actually see. When I am hurting, it is so difficult to receive a spiritual word of encouragment; I want REAL results.
On Sunday when I set off for the hospital to see Hannah, I realized that I would be attempting to convince a suffering saint of that which I never seem convinced about when I myself am in a trial. It reminds me that we must be diligent in keeping our encouragment simple, Biblical, but most importantly-- sympathetic and personal. A Bible verse alone could never accomplish what God's Word can do when spoken genuinley from the heart of a loving and sympathetic friend. We need to learn what this means, "Weep with those who weep".
In the Old Testament story of Hannah, she declared victoriously, "There is no rock like our God!" I wanted to share this with our Hannah, because it is still true that we, like David, need to be led to the Rock that is higher and stronger than we are. Indeed, let Scripture pour forth from our mouths, but only if it first originates from a heart broken by the Spirit of God. Hannah... I hurt for you, I weep with you; hang on to the Rock of our refuge! Your God, your Jesus, is with you, and He has not forsaken you in your suffering. He loves you, and He will see you through this.
