Truth for Tuesday: Our Greatest Nightmare

Some nights, Felicity gets awful night terrors. And this mama's heart breaks in two as I try to calm her down. In these moments when Fe is SCREAMING and THRASHING, I sing to her, I rock her, and I tell her repeatedly that it'll be alright, but the reality is... until she awakens from these horrible dreams... they really are her reality and I can't do a thing about it.  It really is heart wrenching to be holding your child, knowing that everything is alright and is going to be alright, but she doesn't understand it and is hurting so.   

I'm pretty sure the heavenly Father feels the same way about us when we're wrestling with the nightmares of this life.  

After all, He can see the bigger picture. So when I struggle and get upset and kick and scream at things life throws me, I wonder if his heart breaks a little and He thinks, "My child, everything is going to be alright. Even though from your perspective you can't see a way out, I promise you that joy comes in the morning. I've got you. It's ok." 

There will be days or seasons when our life seems nothing less than one big nightmare. Death. Sickness. Hurt. Depression. Fear. Heart break. Brokenness. All of it inflicts our world. If we look around, just for a second, we can see it everywhere. Sometimes it might not be as personally affecting you, but you just wait... your season is coming. Because none of us can escape this life's nightmares. We can't escape death. We can't escape hurt and pain. We are all broken.

But the good news is, unlike me, our heavenly Father knows exactly how to comfort his children. He has promised us that He will provide ALL of our needs, according to His riches and glory.  He has promised us that He knew us before we were born AND He will direct our paths. He has promised us that He will NEVER leave us or forsake us. He has promised us that ALL THINGS (both good and bad) work together for good for those who love Him. But the even greater news than all of these promises is that, he does so much more than simply comfort us and take care of us during this earthly life... He has created a cure for humanity's worst nightmare.  

He sent His son Jesus. And He took on the worst nightmare of all... and now restoration is coming and redemption has been offered to us. 

When I look at my small child, already wrestling with the reality of living in a broken world, my heart hurts. I get mad that my sweet precious baby cannot simply sleep without being overwhelmed by fear and pain. It makes me angry that I cannot protect her from this pain. It makes me angry that we live in a broken world.

But....

I am thankful for a good and kind Father, who is already teaching me that (a) it's not I who ultimately protects and cares for His & my children, it's Him, and (b) He's already taken care of our greatest nightmare. 

Much love,