We all have those days when we’re just feeling blue, don’t we? Sometimes we can put our finger on “why,” but a lot of times we may start to feel down for seemingly no reason at all. Something just seems out of kilter in our lives, but we can’t figure out why we’re all of a sudden feeling this way.
Sometimes it can be from loneliness. Even sitting in a church surrounded by other believers, you can feel very lonely.
There are also many reasons why you can feel lonely. Perhaps it comes from suddenly losing a loved one. I felt very lonely for a long time after losing our boys as I watched other families frolicking with their children.
Loneliness can also set in when all of a sudden you move to a new state and even though you have dear family and friends that you can call or email, it’s just not the same, is it?
These are times when you really need to rush into your Heavenly Father’s arms, because truly He is the ultimate Comforter in our sorrow (Jeremiah 8:18), and no one can really give us peace like He can (Philippians 4:7).
But sometimes it’s also nice to know that there are new friends sitting in the wings who really care for you; and God sends them to you just when you need it. Sometimes they may not even be sure why God’s asking them to do something, but they just obey.
This happened to me one day during Jeffrey’s senior year in high school. I was really in a funk as I got home to meet Jeffrey’s school bus. I went out to the mailbox and grabbed the mail, and one of the items was a small handwritten envelope from a gal I didn’t yet know too well at church.
My first thought?
Probably just an invite to some house party…
Gary was out of town that week, and since I had a few minutes more of quiet before Jeffrey got home, I quickly tossed the envelope on the counter to open later, and concentrated on other things that seemed way more important.
Jeffrey got home soon after, and we completed our afternoon routine before dinner. I conveniently forgot all about the little envelope sitting in my kitchen.
Then as Jeffrey and I were eating later that night, all of a sudden I saw it again.
I guess I better open it. (Yes, this thought came out of my head very begrudgingly.)
So I ripped open the envelope… and began to cry…
This new friend of mine had taken the time to hand-write a note to me, telling me that God had laid me on her heart, and she had been saying a special prayer for me.
Of course, remember that the note came through the mail – it actually had been mailed a couple days prior to me receiving it! However as I contemplated the mailing date, I realized that it really didn’t matter, because God knew when I would receive it. He knew just the perfect day and time that I needed to know that someone was loving me and caring for me.
Moving away from the Seattle area where my sweet sister and our friends were located was really hard sometimes. It’s hard when you sit in church and see families (sometimes of many generations) sitting together. There are times that you just feel alone.
But this act of kindness and love reminded me that no matter where God takes us, He always has “family” around to embrace us. I am so thankful for that. So thankful that we serve a gracious caring Father who knows us deeper and more intimately than we can ever imagine.
This act of kindness also reminded me that I need to be sensitive to others and what they may be going through. Yes, we all get wildly busy, and those “alone” times with peace and quiet are something that I know I look forward to. But if you suddenly feel that God is laying a person on your heart, reach out! Maybe send them a short note or text telling them you’re thinking of them. You never know just how that might impact their life.
The God Of All Comfort 