"Yeah, I think that I might break. Lost myself again and I feel unsafe."
"Breathe Me" by Sia
The pain, suffering, and evil we witness in the world, or directly, are not at all fair or right. Seems like a “duh” statement, huh? Each time we experience struggles or tragedies, we seem to ask questions like: “Why did this happen?” or "Why is there so much hate in the world?"
It's not exactly that we want a rational explanation for our pain. Think about it. It's not that we want someone to come up to us and give us an explanation for why bad things happen or why there is hate in the world. All we really want in that instant is comfort, love, and for someone to be able to say "me too" and "I've been there". For someone to say: "I understand and I am here for you." It is a remarkable feeling and we are reminded that we are not alone in our heartache.
When comforted, I am reminded of Christ's love and I get to see Him in the people who shower me with soothing words and comforting hugs. In that moment, I don't necessarily forget the pain or suffering, but in that second of support and comfort, I swear, I get to be free of trying to keep it all together, to let my guard down and forget the notion of being strong on my own.
Terrible, awful things happen daily. There are many, for instance, human trafficking, war, mass shootings, a person battling for their life with no cure, families being torn apart, the loss of a loved one and not getting the chance to say goodbye, etc. You name it! All of these tragedies are terrible. All of this happens in a world that is intolerable and filled with evil. That's exactly why so many of us do ask "why did this happen?"
Personally, I have felt pain and brokenness. I’m not trying to say that what I’ve experienced is less or more than others, but to simply state: me too. For instance, I have struggled over the years with depression, anxiety, and in the past have suffered from suicidal thoughts. Recently I suffered the loss of someone very close to me, and the fact that I was not able to say goodbye. It was a terrible moment and I remember that phone call. I remember feeling my heart excelling; the wind was knocked out me, and the familiar hot sting swelling in my eyes as I began to sob.
With that being said, I am not here to give a rational explanation for every bad thing that happens, but to say: me too. To share how I learned from my experiences and how I sought out hope because I wanted to fight the confusion, fear, broken heart and pain. For me, God brought my struggles, my pain, and has used it for His good—His purpose (Romans 8: 28 NIV).
It is easy to get heartbroken over tragedies we face or hear about in the world. However, I have learned from being like the character from the poem, “Footprints”, that God carries us through life’s storms; we just don’t see it because we only see half of the picture.
No matter where an individual is in life, remember that there is hope when we face roaring storms. When we feel confusion, fear, and heartache it is, unfortunately, part of life. However it reminds us that somewhere there is something better – we are given hope.
Lastly, know that like the saying goes, “This too shall pass,” there will be these battles we face, circumstances we are dealt, and tragedies we see and hear about, but they don’t last forever. There will also be good things – thrilling times and moments that make an individual feel invincible and forget about past tragedies. Those moments we have should never be taken for granted.
"During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
Excerpt from "Footprints" poem
