Letter to a Friend

I wrote the following to an e-mail friend who is struggling with too many issues, too many hurts.

If you're hurting, crying, wondering what to do next, perhaps this letter also will be helpful to you.

Dear (friend),

I want to say, "Don't forget about God! Don't forget about Jesus Christ." If there's any way you can do it at all, please read the New Testament, or at least a little Scripture verse booklet.

This is a wicked, weary, angry, sore world. Governments don't know what to do. So many places are at war, or struck with disasters. So many people are hurting, suffering, crying. Our leaders and those who want to be compassionate feel "stuck", not knowing what to do. Some people are acting as though everything will be back to normal soon, and going their merry way with big plans and self-interests. And then there are others afraid, demoralized, and despairing.

God told us in the Bible that there would be seasons like the one our world is going through now. But he also said "When you see these things happen, look up, for your redemption draws near." I believe we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ our Savior. God is still in control, even though it looks so bad.

We tend to think him being in control means we will sail through life without any hard times. But that's not the way life is. It wasn't so in the days when the Bible was written, and it isn't so today. He allows trials into our lives in order to toughen us to be able to get through life.

There are a few verses I keep making myself repeat when I feel discouraged.

Paul wrote, "I do that which I don't want to do, and don't do what I ought to do. Oh, wretched man [or woman, too] that I am, who will save me? Thanks be to God for the unspeakable gift of Christ Jesus."

"Long ago before He made the world, God chose us for his very own; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes -- without a single fault! -- we who stand before him covered with his love."

"[God] Who having delivered us from so great a death, and DOES deliver us, and I trust will deliver us YET [all the way through life].

"Does your heart condemn you? God is greater than your heart. And if your heart condemns you not, it shall be well with you."

(I take that to mean that even when we feel we don't measure up, God is big enough to declare us "not guilty" if we come to him in repentance, desiring him to keep on loving-protecting-comforting-guiding-helping us. So then God loves us in a way that we need not condemn ourselves. So through him, it will go well with us.) Maybe not the kind of wellness that we think of as happiness and la-tee-da land, but he promises that he "guarantees to bring us to himself." And that if we don't reject him, but keep asking him to transform us to be the persons he planned to make us be, we'll live forever with him. Forever with Jesus, in eternity. And only the "blink of an eye" down here on earth in this life, compared with "forever." Even though the way seems long and full of toil and tears.

I'm so glad I don't have to bring myself to God, earn my way to heaven. No, I could never do that. But HE is ABLE. And He is WILLING! I must believe that, cling to his promise for that, even when I don't feel it. Because he said he wouldn't ever leave us or forsake us. And if I'm wrong about that, then there would be no hope of my making it. But thankfully, we not only have the Bible, but the witness of many, many people who have clung to him, that his word is true and THE CHRIST is real.

Love in His Beautiful Name, and with many Prayers for you, (my friend),