I hope you're well! After all, what affects you affects us all. I rejoice with you and mourn with you, and vice versa. I read something the other day and thought of you and of an example from my own journey of faith that I thought might be of encouragement to you. Testimony time: there was a time when I was very heart-broken and in great anguish of spirit, not knowing who to go to, or what to do; it felt like everything was crumbling around me. There's no way I can accurately describe what I was feeling, although the words "despair" and "hopelessness" come to mind. The only thing I could think to do during these times was to fall on my face before the Head and beg for mercy (I use this word instead of help bc it more accurately describes our situation: wretched-beggars who deserve nothing before the Master). I remember one specific night during these times where I was literally sobbing and weeping with my face soaking my hands and the carpet underneath with my tears. I clutched at the air near the floor, earnestly desiring that I could only touch and weep over my Lover's feet; afterall, I knew that in Him I'd find the very source of all unconditional love, that thing which I so desperately sought after. It was then that I finally understood verses like those that describe such deep desires to depart and be in His presence. All of this to say that, despite the Indwelling Spirit and the indisensable lessons i learned from moments and trials like these, I never quite managed to receive the bodily comfort in form of a warm embrace or otherwise that I desperately craved within those moments. Which brings me to my next point:
The other day, when I was reading the Scriptures, I stumbled across something in our good friend Paul's second letter to the group at Corinth that spoke to me and I thought it might also be of encouragement to you when I read it too. It goes something like: "Nevertheless our Father, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus". This confirmed two things to me as I read it 1) He's in the business of comforting the downcast i.e. me, you, and all the others (In fact, He is called the Comforter elsewhere in the Writings) and 2) more importantly, and more practically for us, He often chooses to comfort us mediately by the presence and words of other members of the Body. In the context of the close believing community that I live with here I'm slowly learning that we really do need each other and that, as Lovely as it sounds, just me and the Head sometimes just isn't enough to help me sort out my own junk. I need people, the "embracing arms", the "feet that carry good news", the comfort of the "shoulder to lean on", and the "tongue of supporting and/or rebuking words", if need be. It's like Les said, we were designed around and for relationships and the sooner I embrace this, the more comfort from Him I'll receive. Hopefully, this has made sense and the Head will use it to clear some of those blurry days although "tongue" is much more articulate than I am. I look forward to seeing what you see in the days to come.
Sincerely,
~ "left hand" <><
PS Please continue to lift up "right hand". He has been suffering quite a bit these days and I could have really used more of his help too. I'll really be feeling his absence as I start needing to write more this weekend and upcoming week.
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