Loneliness can be deep and very dark, dark enough to make you feel that everyone has left you including God. I have been there, have you? Perhaps today there are things taking place in your life that have brought you to despair. Things that have made you feel abandoned by God, death of a loved one, loss of a job, end of a relationship, financial crisis, etc. Feeling broken and alone tend to make us believe we have been betrayed. During these dark times in my life, I learned that the answers I want are usually not what God feels I need. I learned to have patience and to open my ears to hear God's will. I discovered that God never left me, that He was there for me and He will be there for you too. He will never forsake us! As a constant reminder I keep a copy of the poem "Footprints in the Sand" in my wallet. It continually reminds me that God is with me at all times, even in my darkest hours. Maybe it will help you too.
Blessings & Peace, Darlene
Blessings & Peace, Darlene
Footprints in the Sand
by Mary Stevenson
One night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life ... For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life.This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it: "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me."
The Lord replied: "My precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
Loneliness can be overwhelming like it was for me one winter. In one year I lost my mom, our youngest graduated from college and entered the Marines, our oldest was in the Air Force and far away, we lost our beloved pet of 12 years, we moved to the country in January leaving neighbors of 26 years behind and realized my husband worked a lot of evenings and weekends. It is easy to get lost in the past, but God was there to lead me to new opportunities I would never have tried before, gave us wonderful new neighbors, led us to adopt a 2 1/2 year old Sheltie (he was my angel), showed me how to better treasure the time my husband and I did have together, and led us to travel to new places to explore and experience visiting our children. God is with us in the now and we have to learn to open ourselves to what he has for us now. He gives us joyful memories of the past, but constantly reminds us he has much more in store for us and that we are never alone. He is always walking with us.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story. He is always walking with us and sometimes leading us down paths we may never have chosen, but we are never alone!
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