What a year this week has been.....

This week I have heard about three marriages that are ending. I have learned of pain in some people's lives that can not even be appropriately expressed in words. You would have to see the faces I have seen to really understand the level of pain. I have also learned of my brother eagerly seeking to come up into this area to minister. I have experienced tremendous spiritual mountaintops and devasting spiritual valleys and it has all happened in less than one week.

And what I have learned through this week is to seek out my Lord for His comfort. I am called (and I believe gifted) to work with people through personal pain. The problem I have is often I take the pain on myself and it just eats at me. This week, I have had to rely on God to provide both my comfort and comfort to those I am talking with because my personal well was dry. I just couldn't muster any more sympathy. I felt like a lifeless ragdoll. I just didn't have anymore of me to give.

Then, in my devotional time, I read Psalm 86:1-13. I find great comfort in these verses and it reminds me of the adage: "The main thing is keep the main thing the main thing." And the main thing is God and His Kingdom. Here are those verses:

Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me;
For I am afflicted and needy.
Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man;
O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.
Be gracious to me, O Lord,
For to You I cry all day long.
Make glad the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
And give heed to the voice of my supplications!
In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
For You will answer me.
There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works like Yours.
All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.
For You are great and do wondrous deeds;
You alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And will glorify Your name forever.
For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
--Psalm 86:1-13 (NASB)