I was reading a blog written by Ann Voskamp
and this particular paragraph
grasped at my heart...
Written By Ann Voskamp.....
You can have every excuse — but let nothing excuse you from joy.
Excuses to avoid community can rightly excuse you from joy.
Why is it so hard to let people love you?
How do you let imperfect love get into your imperfect places?
How many times do I have to learn it — The shields you use to protect yourself can become the bars that imprison you alone.
Was I ready to feel it? Joy and pain, they are but two arteries of the one heart that pumps through all those who don’t numb themselves to really living.
There’s no other way to really live. Risking pain is the only way to risk really living — and the only other option is to live safe and dead.
I read it again and again
and it
slowly and sort of painfully
seeped into
the deepest part of me.
Her words, they began to penetrate my heart.
Am I ready to feel it?
Joy and Pain.
None of us, I don't believe, would refuse to feel joy
but
she says they (joy and pain) are but two arteries of one heart
and this one heart pumps through all those who don't numb themselves to really living.
Must we risk the pain to feel the joy?
As I began to meditate in prayerful thoughts about this question,
my mind went directly to the man
who faced terrible pain, such agonizing pain.
Pain of every kind...
physical, mental and emotional.
He came to give us salvation and life more abundantly
but He did not escape pain!
So often in my prayer time, I find myself
explaining to the Lord why I find it so hard
to contain this joy
that His word speaks of.
It's at the times I find it hard to be
vulnerable enough
to risk the pain!
To risk the pain of
being hurt again,
risk being mocked and made fun of
and risk others thinking that I'm not
good enough, talented enough, spiritual enough
and the list goes on and on.
And then I read her words....
Risking pain is the only way to risk really living. ~Ann Voskamp
and I think....
Jesus risked it...
He risked it all for you and I, he risked everything!
He not only risked it
But
He took our pain upon Himself and He gave His life!
He felt every bit of it, from the inside, out!
Matthew chapter 27
says that
the people chose to have Barabbas, a murderer, released back
into society
instead of allowing Jesus
to go free!
They would rather have a murder roaming their streets than Jesus?!
He knows exactly what it's like
to feel unwanted, even hated.
I believe that tops every excuse that I have.
I think about all of the times I have said
I think about all of the times I have said
"but Lord, what if they choose someone else?"
The crowd chose
a murderer
to walk free in His place,
because they wanted Jesus to be crucified so badly!
because they wanted Jesus to be crucified so badly!
He knows what it's like to have someone else
chosen instead of Him.
Then it says that they scourged Him!
I looked up the definition of scourge and it says this...
A means of inflicting severe suffering with a whip!
He suffered, he suffered severely!
In the same chapter of Matthew
it says...
And when they had platted a crown of thorns,
they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand:
and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him,
saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they spit upon him,
and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
They were not only inflicting physical pain on Him
but they were
mocking Him openly,
in front of a crowd of people
in front of a crowd of people
causing Him to be humiliated and I'm sure He felt it....
Felt the
Felt the
mental and emotional pain
as well as physical pain.
They spat on Him and laughed
as they mocked and
beat Him.
I have heard it preached many, many times about
the physical pain that He endured
for us and He surely did.
He took the sins of our world upon Himself
and suffered terribly in
our place!
I don't recall ever hearing about the mental
anguish and emotional bruises that He must have felt.
I suppose
that's why I have always assumed that
He couldn't
quite understand the hurt and pain
that I have felt so many times, on the inside me.
He was Flesh.
Just like you and I!
He not only felt
He not only felt
the physical pain,
I believe He felt
the hurt
with every beat of His
aching heart!
They mocked Him, spit upon Him
and laughed at Him
while they watched Him die.
He endured it all for you and for me!
As He hung between heaven and earth on an old
heavy, wooden cross...
He was
beaten and bloody, mocked & humiliated.
He cried out...
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
He felt forsaken.
His lifeless body was put into a
cold, dark tomb.
But...
I'm so glad that His journey of pain
didn't end there!
Matthew chapter 28
says
that as they came to look, an angel appeared and said to them
"Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen!"
He was Victorious!
and
We can be too!
There are times in this life that we are going to experience pain.
Pain of all kinds
physical, mental and emotional.
Even Jesus felt the pain of this life.
We can take our pain to Him in prayer and not allow ourselves to be bound by it!
Ann's words are so true, she says that
the shields we use to protect ourselves can become the
bars that imprison us and cause us to be alone.
You can have every excuse — but let nothing excuse you from joy.
Are you ready to feel it?
Joy and Pain!
There’s no other way to really live. Risking pain is the only way to risk really living — and the only other option is to live safe and dead. ~Ann Voskamp
Dear Lord
I pray to you for every hurting heart
that may read these words.
We know that your heart was broken
and your body was beaten and crucified
to bring us salvation and to mend our brokeness.
We know that your heart was broken
and your body was beaten and crucified
to bring us salvation and to mend our brokeness.
There are times when we feel alone,
in those times
remind us Lord that
You said in Your word that we are never forsaken.
You are always with us.
Even in our darkest hour, You are there!
Even in our darkest hour, You are there!
Lord, we cannot fix our own wounds, but You can.
You know exactly what our pain feels like, inside and out,
in every fashion, physical, mental and emotional, you have felt it all.
You are The Mender of our broken hearts
and The Healer of our pain.
We give all of our broken pieces to You
and we can rest in the assurance of knowing
that You alone
can make
something beautiful out of each us.
You can take our pain
and give us Joy
in it's place.
You will
give unto us beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for our mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
so that we can be used for Your glory
and the building of Your kingdom.
We give all of our broken pieces to You
and we can rest in the assurance of knowing
that You alone
can make
something beautiful out of each us.
You can take our pain
and give us Joy
in it's place.
You will
give unto us beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for our mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
so that we can be used for Your glory
and the building of Your kingdom.
Amen
