God Never Gets Weary
Do you ever feel a deep soul weariness? Emotionally weary? Struggling with all the heartbreak in this world you have no power to change? With all the hatred, division, violence, and injustice? With what loved ones are going through? With a deep pain in your own heart of feeling insignificant and misunderstood?
One of the things that strengthens my weary heart is to dwell on God’s faithful character. He never grows physically tired or emotionally weary. When people or situations devastate our hearts, He never tires of hearing us pour out our troubles to Him, even though He already knows it all. When we voice our emotions to Him, He will never condemn or abandon us for them. When life doesn’t make sense, His understanding is bottomless. He gives us strength to carry on through the not knowing. And someday He will show us the bigger picture. What we see today as a hopelessly tangled mess of threads, we will see someday as a glorious picture of the inexhaustible fountain of His love and mercy that never runs dry.
Learning to Lament
🦋 “Rather than suffocating it with silence, lament breathes life into our relationship with Him, so no struggle is off limits. Passionate communication creates room for God, especially in our heartbreak. When we can be honest about our deepest pain, we allow Him in.” ~ Learning to Lament by Lori Ann Wood
🦋 “Lament helps us see that complaining to God is not necessarily sinful. For hurting people, knowing that this expression of grief is a biblical and a God-given category can be a watershed moment. Vocalizing our pain or helping a friend express her heart is one of the life-giving aspects of lament.” ~ 6 Reasons Christians Need to Learn to Lament by Mark Vroegop
🦋 “It all made sense. In reflecting, I understand that God’s unchanging, steadying presence has truly been my salvation against totally going under. Refusing to stuff the shock and pain was a lifeline. I found the Psalms to be my prayer book. Simply whispering Jesus brought calmness to my undone mind and body.” ~ Grief Notes by Linda Stoll
🦋 “The lament of Good Friday was answered three days later with the empty tomb. The greatest injustice in history became the greatest display of divine mercy. Tragedy became triumph. Lament was the voice in between.” ~ Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament
Nature Retreat
“There is a way that nature speaks …
Most of the time we are simply not patient enough,
quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.”
~ Linda Hogan ~
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AUTUMN GLORY
How does nature speak to you?
What is your favorite season? Why?
What do you love about autumn?
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Freed to Fly 
Thank you for this post. I needed this today.. god bless you
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God bless you, too, Sheryl. I’m grateful you were encouraged here. May we find daily strength in our Creator who has everything under His control!
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Trudy, what a beautiful post – the words and the photos! That scripture is one of my favorites because it reminds me that God is always watching and listening, ready to hear from us even though He knows what we will say. He is our loving, awesome God. Blessings to you! xo
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Thank you for your kind words, Gayl. It’s such a comfort God is always watching and listening, isn’t it? Yes, He is our loving, awesome God! Blessings to you, too. May we ever look to Him who longs for us with open arms and open ears!
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Are you still experiencing fall colours in nature, Trudy. We are covered in snow now. 🙂 I’m grateful that we can come to God for anything. No lament is too small or too big for Him!
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Yes, we are still experiencing fall colors, Lynn. However, with the cold weather and temporary snow we got a couple of days ago, what’s left on trees have turned curled and brown. It’s amazing how some trees color more quickly and are already bare, but others hang tightly to their leaves. “No lament is too small or too big for Him!” So true and comforting! Thank you, Lynn. May our hearts remember that always!
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I’ve learned over the years that we can take anything and everything to God in prayer; He will remain steadfast and faithful, listening tenderly to every word we think or say. How do those who don’t believe get through times of grief? That, I’ll never know. Loved that you included a quote from Linda, too. She is such a gem of a person, Trudy. We are both so fortunate to call her a friend.
Thanks for the fall photos, too. I love the changing of the leaves – God’s endless palate at work!
Blessings!
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I don’t know how I’d ever get through the times of grief without Him either, Martha. Yes, Linda truly is a gem. 🙂 I’m fortunate to know you as a friend, too. 🙂 I love how you describe the changing of leaves as “God’s endless palate at work!” Blessings to you, too! May we keep taking anything and everything to our loving and compassionate God!
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Dear Trudy, thank you so much for sharing this encouraging post. This quote especially touched me: “Passionate communication creates room for God, especially in our heartbreak. When we can be honest about our deepest pain, we allow Him in.” Lamenting was hard for me in the beginning of my chronic illness journey. But oh how the Lord opened my heart to His presence when He called me to look at lament. Thank God for His mercy that sees every heartbreak. Blessings and love to you my dear sister. May He strengthen you with His great grace and mercy.
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I’m so happy you found encouragement here, Bettie. Thank you for sharing your lament journey concerning your chronic illness journey. It makes so much difference when we open our hearts and allow Him in to our deepest pain, doesn’t it? Even though He already knows everything, He longs for us to honestly share our lament with Him. And even though He doesn’t take away the chronic illness yet, He is so gracious to calm our hearts and give us strength to rest in Him, in His plan, and in His time until one day we will forever be free from it all. Thank you for your prayer, my friend. Blessings and love to you, too! May we passionately keep the communication open between us and our compassionate Savior!
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Hi Trudy! I appreciated Linda’s post too. I love your photos … the fall colors are so beautiful this year! What you said about focusing on God’s character reminds me of a new song I’ve been enjoying lately … it’s by Selah and it’s called “Steal My Praise” if you want to look it up. Kind of a swing-band vibe, which is not my usual preference, but I really love the message. 🙂 Happy November, dear friend
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Thank you, Lois. Also for sharing that song. I love the message, too! It’s so encouraging. Yes, He is faithful and He’s never gonna change! Even when our hearts are breaking, may we praise Him because He is so worthy!
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I love the autumn colours! And I agree, it is so comforting that we can always go to God knowing that he cares and he will always listen to us, even when we are being honest about the pain we feel.
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It’s amazing how bottomless His love and compassion are, right, Lesley? I hope a calmer, more settled season is ahead for you! May He strengthen us for whatever changes come our way!
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Trudy, such beautiful thoughts here. When we understand that lament is a valid response, it helps us to be honest about where we’re at with situations in our lives. Knowing that God loves us in all of our emotions, that nothing will turn Him away from us, is such a reassurance.
I LOVE your fall colors!
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Thank you, Jeanne. It’s so true that He loves us in all our emotions. May we be reassured each day that no matter what, He is never going to abandon us!
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Trudy,
I love the autumn photos! 🍁🌲🍂🌾
It was such a beautiful fall this year!
How are you doing?
Love,
Shelley
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Thank you, Shelley. 🙂 Yes, it was beautiful this year, or maybe we just opened our eyes to it more. 🙂 I’m doing okay. I hope you are, too! I think of you often. May our hearts be wide open to the beauty God surrounds us with in His creation, no matter what season!
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Trudy, thank you for the always needed reminder to focus on God’s character, especially in the times of lament and sorrow. It’s not that we ignore the reality of where we are, but it’s not our compass for the future. And thanks for sharing a bit from that Grief Notes post. I hope it’ll encourage someone in the middle of their own sorrowful season.
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Your Grief Notes post is powerful, Linda. I know it encouraged me and I’m certain it will encourage others. Thank you. May we grieve well while keeping our eyes fixed on “our compass for the future!”
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