Healing Salve for When the Pain Is Real and Your Heart Is Weary

Grief clouded my vision as my van skidded to a stop in the ditch. On my way to hold my infant nephew’s tiny, lifeless body for the first and last time, anguish overwhelmed me.

My precious nephew Adam’s quilt.

Pain wasn’t new to me, nor would this be the last time it would slice into my heart. But it was deep and it was real, and it felt like it would forever define my life. This was especially true for Adam’s parents.

And since I’ve now lived long enough to see it, I know heartache has been or will be present in your life as well.

Along with times of intense hurt, we will also carry the burden of daily life issues. None of us can avoid heartache and oppression.

Deep pain moments and soul-heavy weariness punctuate my life and yours:

• the loss of a loved one,
• the constancy of caring for a child or parent with disabilities,
• the nagging doubt of worthiness,
• the fear of inadequate finances,
• the helplessness felt in trying to salvage a struggling marriage,
• the day-to-day issues of maintaining friendships,
• the mundane, unending tasks of parenting,

but they don’t have to define it.

Deep pain moments and soul-heavy weariness punctuate my life and yours, but they don't have to define it. Share on X

Our Solution

For years I’ve tried interventions to prevent discouragement and weariness from settling in. And I have discovered some that lift my spirits for awhile:

• music,
• exercise,
• friendships.

These are all good, helpful tools, but the truth is nothing you and I can ever do will fully salve the pain and discomfort of living in a finite body in a fractured world.

We deceive ourselves by thinking otherwise. Some things will definitely help us feel better, but

we can never completely heal our hurts by ourselves.   

True Healing Salve

Hear me on this, my friend! Doctors can treat your ailments, therapy can offer emotional and mental relief, music can lift your spirit, but

only in Christ can true relief be found. 

We can never completely heal our hurts by ourselves. Only in Christ can true relief be found. Share on X

So, as much as I cherish you popping in and as much as I love to share encouragement, don’t rest your hope here or in any other blog site, magazine, book, TV show, radio program, person, or intervention.

Our hope is found in Christ alone. So always I will point you to the truth of what this Psalmist discovered:

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him.” Psalm 62:5

And may I leave you with this beautiful song of hope, In Christ Alone, written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend:

Reflection: What about life makes you most weary? In what specific ways can I best encourage you to seek the hope found in Christ?

Although it seems Ann is no longer offering her Multitude Mondays linkup (although her Joy Dare continues), I will continue to post my 1000-gift list on Monday (okay, today it’s Tuesday) because it seems a great day for it and because … well … I just can’t quit. (Just between you and me, it helps me in the savor department.)

Since beginning nearly 3 years ago, I’ve counted over 3,000 gifts!! What a blessing! So here we go: #3157–3177, read the entire list by clicking here.