I sat in the darkness last night. A friend was struggling with Life’s demons. I could see that he had, on this day, lost the battle. The sense of being alone was overwhelming. He longed to know the feeling of being loved. The lack of it blocked Hope. He wanted to believe in God but could not find a way to take the step.
I sat doing what friends do. I was present while reaching out to God, reminding Divinity that one of the family was hurting. He needed God’s touch. He desperately longed to know that he was one of God’s own. As much as I wanted this for him, I was left struggling with my prayer as I fell asleep. I hope. I trust. I am also afraid.
As I reflect on the evening the day after, I am struck by the void in his life. I recognize the gap. It is more than a simple step across the unknown. There is a ditch in his life and mine that is a barrier to being with God. I realize that I have had a hand in creating the one in my life. I also know that it is scary, deep, and formidable. It will be a hard one to deal with. Even with God’s help, getting across it will not be automatic. It will be something that I have to regularly ask God to help me deal with. Hopefully members of the family will be open to God using them. If not, I do not stand a chance.
In thinking through the help I need, I realize that I need to step beyond myself in order to help others. The observation of yesterday still applies today. “It’s more important that everyone have access to the knowledge and love of God in language everyone understands than that you go off and cultivate God’s presence in a mysterious prayer language—unless, of course, there is someone who can interpret what you are saying for the benefit of all.” (1 Corinthians 14.5)
We are in this together.
