13
AUGUST 2022
God Feels Our Sorrows
Ang taglay kong sulirani’y nababatid mo nang lahat, pati mga pagluha ko’y nakasulat sa iyong aklat.
Awit 56:8
Ayon sa prayer counselors, isa sa pinakamahirap i-counsel ay ang mga taong iniwan ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Grief produces so much sorrow and pain. It is true that nobody really gets over the grief of losing a loved one. Those left behind may be laughing outside but actually crying inside because the pain of loss will always be there. No matter how long from the time of loss, the grief will not go away. People only learn to live with it.
Namatay ang asawa ni Naomi at pagkalipas ng sampung taon ay ang dalawang anak naman niya ang namatay. Feeling niya pinagmalupitan siya ni Yahweh (Ruth 1:1-13). Naiwan sa kanya si Ruth, ang napangasawa ng isa sa kanyang anak. When Naomi returned to Bethlehem with Ruth, she was grieving, consumed with hopelessness. Paano kaya binago ng Diyos ang buhay nina Naomi at Ruth? God blessed them and Ruth and her husband Boaz became the ancestors of King David and Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).
Si Job ay sinubok din ng Diyos nang mamatay ang kanyang mga anak because of a terrible tragedy (Job 2:18–19). Ano kaya ang naging reaction ni Job? Tumindig si Job, pinunit ang kanyang damit, at nag-ahit ng ulo. Pagkatapos, nagpatirapa siya sa lupa at nagpuri sa Diyos (Job 2:20). Sa kabila ng malungkot na pangyayaring ito, hindi nagkasala si Job; hindi niya sinisi si Yahweh (Job 2:22).
Nang mamatay naman ang anak ni David dahil sa malubhang sakit, ibang-iba ang kanyang tugon. David initially prayed and asked God to heal his son. Pero pagkalipas ng anim na araw, namatay ang bata. Pagkarinig nito, bumangon si David, naligo, at nagbihis. Pumasok siya sa bahay ni Yahweh, nagpatirapa at nanalangin (2 Samuel 12:15-23). Tinanggap niya ang katotohanan na kailangan niyang bumangon at ipagpatuloy ang kanyang fellowship with God.
Nangungulila ka rin ba? God feels with us and weeps with us. Naomi, David, and Job’s experiences proved that God used their sorrows for good. Trust God to be your Comforter and someday God can use you to comfort others.
LET’S PRAY
Our loving God, thank You that in our distress we can call on You. And when we cry out to You, You hear our voice and see our tears. Kayo po ang aming great healer, the One who heals our pain and sorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
APPLICATION
Remember the acronym TRUST whenever you are struggling with sorrow: T-hink of anything good that’s come out of it (Ecclesiastes 3:11); R-ecognize your limitations and remember God (Isaiah 55:8-9); U-se your sorrows for your good (Genesis 50:20); S-eek God and stay close to Him (James 4:8); and T-ake Jesus as your great comforter (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).