I was beyond discouraged, for so many reasons.
It seemed that what was happening in my circle was dire, without hope. It seemed that I was unable to provide any assistance, any real, lasting help for the ones who were tugging at my heart,
and I felt a profound, heavy sadness.
Every time I thought about it … this profound sadness, I thought of the the great sadness, described by William P. Young in his book The Shack.
This profound sadness is an all encompassing, weighted, life-smothering sadness that steals not only the present, but each moment that follows.
My mind was preoccupied with my helplessness, the hopelessness of the situation at hand.
Then I discovered words that stopped my circling the drain. Words that I had spoken to my daughter, about a client who had her heart aching.
love that girl … realizing that your reach into her life has limits. You can’t undo the past, you can’t decide her future (or even help her have a future), but you can leave her with the sweet taste of being loved.
Our ability to leave the sweet taste of being loved, in the mouths of people who are hurting, who are struggling, who are, themselves, experiencing profound sadness … could there be a better gift?
I think I (we?) want to do something that makes a difference, that makes it all better. I think I (we?) forget that there is nothing we could do for another that is outmatched by love … not even hope (or faith).
“And now these three remain:
faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13
itsawonderfilledlife 