In Other Words: Sharing Paths

Quote by Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby
from their devotional book, Experiencing God

The one word question “WHY?” has escaped my thoughts more than I can count.  Many of the why’s will not be answered until I reach heaven – and then, I doubt it will really matter.  But some why’s seem a little more fulfilled, when we see how we can use our pain, to help others.  A few weeks ago, it happened again, as we gasped out loud to read in the paper, that friends of ours, who are grandparents, lost their first and only grandchild.  The grandfather is also our dentist.  We saw the ultrasound pictures in his office, and the newborn pictures after his grandson was born.  I would often run into his wife at the store or Good Will and was shown the newest item for her little grandson and see the delight in her face as she spoke of a smiling happy baby.  How we wished the death notice we read was not their grandson, but tragically it was.  He was only 12 weeks old and died of SIDS.  Though we did not know the grandparent’s son and daughter-in-law, we could relate in many ways.  We understood the pain the grandparents were going through, trying to reach out to their son and daughter-in-law, and yet not able to “fix” their pain.  We know the pain of losing a son and a baby.   When we wrote them a card, our words were “we rejoiced when Timothy was born, now we weep with you as you say good-bye”.  Men don’t always know how to show expression, but my husband has hugged and wept with this grandfather and I’ve had the priviledge of sharing with the grandmother and remembering her grandson with a bracelet for both grandma’s and the mom.  We visited with them on Father’s Day, knowing that this first-time daddy, was not having a “happy” day.  Though wounds were reopened, it was healing, being able to share and weep with them, to be available, to walk beside them, yesterday, today, and for the many months and years ahead.   

You see, in time, this family’s road may be difficult and lonely ~ when the cards stop coming, and the sympathies seem to stop and others are hesitant in saying his name.  Yet, little Timothy’s birthday in March is forever etched on their hearts, as is his deathdate each June.  Selfishly, I wish I did not have to share their pain, that we never had buried children, or to know the path they will walk.  Yet . . .

 “God uses people. God uses people to perform His work.
He does not send angels. Angels weep over it,
but God does not use angels to accomplish His purposes.
He uses burdened broken-hearted weeping men and women.”
David Wilkerson

What have you gone through that God can use to walk beside another broken soul?  Maybe it’s cancer, the death of a spouse, divorce, or the loss of a home or job.  Maybe you have dealt with alcohol or drugs and know the struggles of being released from claims of it on your life.  Is God tapping you on your heart’s door to share with a friend or neighbor or to send a card to someone you might not even know, but know they are walking the same path you did?  How can you use your pain for His gain? 

This week, Bonnie is hosting “In ‘Other’ Words” at her site, “Ink It Blog“. Be sure to visit her site and the links to the other women who have shared on this quote.  Then come back here on Friday, for next Tuesday’s new quote for In ‘Other’ Words.
Be blessed.
~