Finding Hope and Healing in Life's Struggles
Summary
In the sacred space of our gathering, we come together to seek hope, perseverance, and healing, acknowledging the losses and struggles that have touched our lives. This evening is a solemn service of remembrance for those who have departed and those who are gradually leaving us due to illness or other circumstances. It is a time to open our hearts to God's healing presence, recognizing that He is closer to the vulnerable than we often realize. We are called to trust in God's immensity and His readiness to replenish our hearts and souls.
As we turn our hearts to the light of the world, we acknowledge the reality of our struggles and the masks we often wear. This is a time to be real with our pain, disappointment, and frustration, sometimes even directed at God. We pray for God's good news to meet us where we are, acknowledging that our hurt can be so deep it paralyzes us. Yet, God is our rock and redeemer, present in our deepest moments.
Reflecting on a poem by Barb Dyer, we explore the journey of life with its hills, valleys, and dry plateaus. We often equate a blessed life with the absence of loss and struggle, but life in Christ includes these challenges. Instead of viewing struggles solely as pain, we are invited to see them as opportunities to meet God, who is drawn to the hurting and misunderstood. Scripture reminds us that God is close to the brokenhearted, ready to be our refuge and strength.
Difficult times are God's teaching moments, where we grow in depth and intimacy with Him. They are opportunities to lean into His comfort and experience His grace in ways we never have before. Our journey with God is like a quilt, made of diverse experiences, both beautiful and hard, creating a masterpiece of our lives. God covers us with His grace, offering hope and strength.
As we remember those we have lost, we are reminded that God is close to the brokenhearted, sharing His strength with us. May this service be a time to grieve, grow deeper, and take strength from God, as we pray for those who suffer and for the church universal.
Key Takeaways
- Loss and struggle are integral to life in Christ, not signs of God's absence. They are opportunities to meet God, who is close to the brokenhearted and ready to be our refuge and strength. [26:36]
- Difficult times are God's teaching moments, where we grow in depth and intimacy with Him. They invite us to lean into His comfort and experience His grace in new ways. [31:02]
- Our journey with God is like a quilt, made of diverse experiences, both beautiful and hard, creating a masterpiece of our lives. God covers us with His grace, offering hope and strength. [39:03]
- Suffering can lead us to a deeper love for God and a greater capacity to receive His love and comfort. It is a journey where we learn to rest in His embrace and let Him lead us. [33:23]
- God is close to the brokenhearted, sharing His strength with us. This service is an opportunity to grieve, grow deeper, and take strength from God, as we pray for those who suffer and for the church universal. [41:39]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[18:18] - Opening Reflections
[21:27] - Prayer for Healing
[22:12] - The Depth of Hurt
[23:10] - Poem: The Journey of a Heartbeat
[23:48] - Imagery of Life's Journey
[25:30] - Paradigm Shift in Struggles
[26:36] - Meeting God in Pain
[29:57] - God's Teaching Moments
[31:02] - Growing in Depth
[32:30] - Meaning of Suffering
[33:23] - Deeper Love for God
[34:17] - Immersed in God's Love
[35:03] - Spiritual Growth in Dark Times
[36:19] - God's Presence in Suffering
[37:20] - Poem: Quilt of Life
[38:17] - Quilt as Life's Masterpiece
[39:03] - God's Grace and Hope
[40:13] - God's Strength in Brokenness
[41:39] - Invitation to Grieve and Grow
[51:16] - Community Remembrance
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
2. Psalm 46:1 - "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
3. Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Psalm 34:18 reveal about God's proximity to those who are suffering? How does this align with the sermon’s message about God being close to the brokenhearted? [26:36]
2. In the sermon, how is the imagery of a quilt used to describe our life journey with God? What does this metaphor suggest about the nature of our experiences? [38:17]
3. According to the sermon, what are some ways that God uses difficult times as teaching moments for us? [31:02]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of community and support during times of struggle? [32:30]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How might understanding that God is close to the brokenhearted change a person's perspective on their own suffering? [26:36]
2. What does the metaphor of life as a quilt suggest about the way God weaves together our experiences, both joyful and painful? How does this relate to Ephesians 2:10? [38:17]
3. In what ways can difficult times deepen a person's relationship with God, according to the sermon? [31:02]
4. How does the sermon suggest that suffering can lead to a greater capacity to receive God's love and comfort? [33:23]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent struggle in your life. How can you invite God into that space as a refuge and strength, as described in Psalm 46:1? [26:36]
2. Consider the metaphor of your life as a quilt. What are some "pieces" of your life that God has used to shape you? How can you see His handiwork in both the beautiful and challenging moments? [38:17]
3. How can you lean into God's comfort during difficult times, and what practical steps can you take to deepen your intimacy with Him? [31:02]
4. Think about a time when you felt brokenhearted. How did you experience God's presence during that time, and how can you be more aware of His closeness in future struggles? [26:36]
5. Identify a person in your life who is currently going through a difficult time. How can you be a source of support and encouragement for them, reflecting the community aspect mentioned in the sermon? [32:30]
6. How can you shift your perspective on suffering to see it as an opportunity to grow in love and reliance on God, as suggested in the sermon? [33:23]
7. What is one specific way you can allow yourself to be more open to God's love and comfort this week, especially in areas where you feel vulnerable or hurt? [33:23]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God in Our Struggles
In the journey of life, loss and struggle are not signs of God's absence but rather opportunities to encounter His presence in profound ways. When we face challenges, it is easy to feel abandoned or distant from God. However, Scripture reminds us that God is especially close to the brokenhearted, offering refuge and strength. These moments of pain are not just obstacles but invitations to meet God, who is drawn to those who are hurting and misunderstood. By acknowledging our struggles and opening our hearts to God's healing presence, we can find solace and strength in His unwavering love. [26:36]
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent struggle you have faced. How can you invite God into that situation today, trusting Him to be your refuge and strength?
Day 2: Growing Through God's Teaching Moments
Difficult times in our lives are often God's teaching moments, where we are invited to grow in depth and intimacy with Him. These experiences challenge us to lean into His comfort and experience His grace in new and transformative ways. Instead of viewing hardships as mere suffering, we can see them as opportunities to deepen our relationship with God. By embracing these moments, we allow God to teach us valuable lessons about His love, grace, and faithfulness, ultimately leading us to a more profound understanding of His character. [31:02]
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a difficult time in your life. What lessons did you learn about God's character, and how can you apply those lessons to your current circumstances?
Day 3: Life's Quilt of Experiences
Our journey with God is like a quilt, composed of diverse experiences, both beautiful and challenging, that together create a masterpiece of our lives. Each piece of the quilt represents a different moment or season, and God uses all of them to cover us with His grace, offering hope and strength. By viewing our lives as a quilt, we can appreciate the beauty in both the highs and lows, recognizing that God is weaving everything together for a greater purpose. This perspective allows us to find peace and assurance in God's sovereign plan, knowing that He is always at work in our lives. [39:03]
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, ESV)
Reflection: Consider the different "pieces" of your life's quilt. How can you see God's hand at work in both the beautiful and challenging moments?
Day 4: Suffering as a Path to Deeper Love
Suffering can lead us to a deeper love for God and a greater capacity to receive His love and comfort. It is through these challenging times that we learn to rest in His embrace and allow Him to lead us. By surrendering our pain and struggles to God, we open ourselves to His transformative love, which can heal and restore us in ways we never imagined. This journey of suffering and surrender ultimately draws us closer to God, deepening our relationship with Him and expanding our ability to love and be loved by Him. [33:23]
"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12, ESV)
Reflection: Identify an area of suffering in your life. How can you surrender this to God today, allowing Him to lead you into a deeper love and understanding of His grace?
Day 5: God's Strength in Our Brokenness
God is close to the brokenhearted, sharing His strength with us in our times of need. This service is an opportunity to grieve, grow deeper, and take strength from God as we pray for those who suffer and for the church universal. By acknowledging our brokenness and inviting God into our pain, we can experience His strength and comfort in profound ways. This process of grieving and growing allows us to become more resilient and compassionate, equipping us to support others in their times of need and to be a source of hope and encouragement in our communities. [41:39]
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who is currently experiencing brokenness. How can you be a source of God's strength and comfort to them today?
Quotes
This is a moment for us to open our hearts. This is a moment for us to open our hearts to God's healing, as we deal with all of these different kinds of loss, loss that's brought darkness into our lives. God is closer than we even realize to the vulnerable. We need to stretch and trust in God's immensity and who he tells us that he is. [00:17:51] (28 seconds)
Well, this is a time that we come here today in our realness, in our hurt, in our sadness, in our pain, in our disappointment, and maybe even death. And shame, and our frustration. Sometimes that ends up being pointed at God when we still feel like we have nobody else to really, you know, hold accountable to. [00:21:25] (28 seconds)
You know, so many times, I feel like that we consider a blessed life to be one that is without loss. You know, there's no problems, no chaos, no heartache, no struggle. That is the blessed life. And if I live that way, and I, have my time with God, and I am truly where He wants me to be, that's what my life will be like. I'll be living in His grace, and it will be so nice. That's not true. [00:25:00] (31 seconds)
Life in Christ includes loss. It includes heartache. It includes struggle. And then you're okay for a little bit, and then sometimes there's another struggle, when you finally just maybe got to barely catch a breath from your last one. [00:25:30] (19 seconds)
But what if, what if we were called to look at our struggles, not necessarily as a place of pain, that we, that we just only focused on that pain? What if we shifted and thought about it as a place of meeting God, a place where God was right there with us? [00:26:36] (28 seconds)
Because if we look closely at the scriptures and especially the stories of Jesus, it seems like God is drawn to people who are hurting. people who feel misunderstood people in pain people longing for just to be out of maybe this struggle, this affliction, maybe this addiction whatever it is, maybe it's a mental frustration that they are stuck on or that they have dealt with their entire life maybe even it is shame what if we looked closely at scripture and we saw the stories that God is drawn to people like that it's not just this once in a while creeping in because we have something going on in our life what if it was a way that we are called to walk with God and also a way that we connect with him. Psalm 31, 18 when someone is hurting or broken hearted, the eternal God moves in close and revives her in her pain, revives him in his pain when someone is hurting or broken hearted God moves in close, God is close to the broken hearted it doesn't say God's available if you reach out for him when you're broken hearted he says God is close God is closer than he might consider him to be when you're not feeling so so lost, so despair psalm 46, 1 also says God is our shelter and our strength when troubles seem near, when troubles seem near, when problems seem near, he's ready to help. [00:27:04] (127 seconds)
Sometimes you have to learn the hard way. Sometimes you have to kind of be put in a place where you really might listen to me. Because I don't know about you, but when I'm having a dance party, when things are going good, I'm just really focusing on the fun of doing things going good. [00:30:23] (16 seconds)
I can clearly state that if I had this easy, cheesy life, and I just got to water ski on top of the water that was underneath me, and I had no care in the world, I would not have one inch of depth. I wouldn't be craving it on my own. I'd be just enjoying life as it was. My life would be all about me. Difficult times are God's best teaching moments. [00:31:02] (31 seconds)
What if the meaning of suffering wasn't in the pain and the grief that we are knowing are very real. But sometimes we just say it is the grief and the pain. But there is a deeper affection where if it was this journey where we really learn to love God and to receive his grace, be loved by God and be a part of his comfort in a way that we have never had to before. [00:32:38] (29 seconds)
What if it was you? was this journey in which we learn to love God deeper with our heart, deeper with our soul and our strength, and truly receive his love and be loved by him in a way that we just wanted to stay in his presence. He was there walking in the valley with us. He was leading us, and we let him lead us. [00:33:31] (29 seconds)
Suffering works in us. It works through us. And it is a time when we can grow exponentially closer to God. A time when God is near. [00:36:59] (14 seconds)
God is making a quilt out of your life. To cover you up. To cover you when you are brokenhearted. To cover you with his grace. To cover you this Christmas so you will remember that God comes near Emmanuel. [00:40:13] (20 seconds)
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