“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted , And saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NASB)
Holidays can be hard when we’re missing folks we love. Longings brought on by death, distance and estrangement are extenuated during times of togetherness and celebration. These situations affect most families. Common survival techniques include pretending, numbing and busyness. They don’t work.
As the holidays approach, I’ve been asking God for His comfort when people I love are absent. I’m asking for clarity and a deeper understanding of His love. I know He’s with me through all of life’s struggles, especially when my heart aches.
In the comfort of His nearness I’m learning:
God’s Love Fills Every Fiber of My Longing Heart
David wrote:
“My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”[1]
“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to meditate in His temple.”[2]
“You have put gladness in my heart , More than when their grain and new wine abound.”[3]
As much as I miss folks who are absent, there’s a growing awareness of God’s nearness and His preeminent love. His love fills my longing heart to overflowing.
Henri Nouwen calls God’s love our first love and all other loves second. He says we get crushed when we begin to demand from lesser loves what only God can give.[4] “God has created you and me with a heart that only God’s love can satisfy. And every other love will be partial, will be real but limited, will be painful.”[5]
Human absence Deepens Dependence on God’s Love
Nouwen also said that if we’re willing to not let the pain of lesser loves make us bitter, it will prune us and give us a deeper sense of our being beloved by God. When this happens, we can be free as Jesus.[6]
As much as the absence of those we love can hurt, it can drive us deeper into the unfailing love of God in Christ. This growing awareness of God’s unconditional, never ending love fortifies our longing hearts and infuses us with the Joy of God’s nearness.
Resting in God’s Love Frees us to Love
Jesus said, “As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you; Now remain in My love.” (John 15:9 NIV)
As I’m learning to walk in God’s love for me, soaking in the completeness of His embrace, He’s bringing freedom. Unchained from incapacitating grief, I can love the people who are near, as He’s loved me.
Lord, You’ve heard the pain of my longing heart. You’re teaching me of Your great love. Human love was never meant to satisfy. You complete me, freeing me to love with no expectations. If I can’t be with the ones I love, allow me to love the ones I’m with.
[1] Psalm 63:1
[2] Psalm 27:4
[3] Psalm 4:7
[4] Documentary – Journey of the Heart: Henri Nouwen
[5] The Hour of Power June 1992
[6] Documentary – Journey of the Heart: Henri Nouwen
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post once a week. Thank you for reading.
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