You have kept count of my tossings; put tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?

Psalm 56:8

As soon as I lifted the heavy box, pain coursed down my leg. X-rays confirmed the source: one bulging disc and one herniated. Months of scans, treatments, and therapies followed, and many lonely days. Pain, I discovered, isolates us. Friends and family tire of our complaining, and the misery drains our energy.

Jesus, no stranger to pain, endured the sting of rejection, beatings, and the agony of the cross. His friends brought no comfort. He sought solace in the Father. Similarly, I leaned heavily on God during my months of chronic pain. His presence never left me during the exams or physical therapy. He is with you, too. Hold his hand. For he’s present in the pain.

Gretchen Huesmann
Pensacola, FL

Dear Jesus, when I hurt, you are with me. When I grieve, you are there. Give me strength to endure. Amen.

Reflect: When you see a friend withdraw, reach out. They may be suffering. Remind them they are not alone.

Read: 2 Corinthians 1 and Psalm 56:3-4 & 8