G. Conti La parabola del Buon Samaritano (The Good Samaritan). 1850. Messina Chiesa della Medaglia Miracolosa Casa di Ospitalità Collereal. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 70 years or fewer

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

• Psalm 34:15-19 (ESV)

I wish I could take away all your troubles.

I wish I could alleviate all your pain. I see it in your face. And I wish I could remove it completely.

I wish I could rid you of all your worries, all your doubts, all your anxious thoughts. I see it in your eyes. And I wish I had the means to erase your cares.

I wish I could remove your sorrow. I hear it in your voice. That hollow, cold, lonely grief is so painful. And I wish I could fill you so full of joy that the sadness would completely lift away.

I hope you know I love you, dear friend. I hope you know a lot of people love you.

Most of all, I hope you realize how much the Lord loves you. And just what that really means.

It’s too easy to take stock in our circumstances, our pain, our sorrows, and focus on them. Our world is a dark place.

But remember what Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, ESV). In the dark, we stumble around, unable to see. We are flesh: imperfect, flawed, and – without light – blind. We require light to illuminate our path.

If you want to see the reality of your life, you need the Perfect Light of Jesus Christ as revealed through the Bible. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105, ESV).

Notice this: the darkness is still there. But Jesus is “the true light, which gives light to everyone” (John 1:9a, ESV). And, I promise you, whatever you’re going through – no matter how painful – has a God given purpose.

Your situation may be God’s way of growing you.

Your confidence through your storm may bring hope to someone who feels they are drowning.

Your pain can give you empathy, the understanding to help others in the same boat as you.

Your acts and words of faith and mercy, despite your situation, may be just the gift someone needs to find the strength to carry on.

We are called to be salt and light – a light upon a hill, a shining beacon for Jesus Christ. We are that when we follow Him, loving those the Lord put in our path.

I wish I could take away all your troubles. But, more than that, I hope you follow the Light Who will lead you through the darkness, bring you comfort, fill you with His peace as you see God is with you every step of the way – never abandoning you.

Love God. Love others. Love first. Trust the Lord wholeheartedly despite how things may appear in the dark.