分类: Pain - Jethro TOOLS

Suffering

11/2/2025

1 Peter 3:13-4:6
It has been said we are either in a trial, coming out of a trial or about to go into a trial. That is true of each of us. Trials are the events in our life that introduce pain into our life. Pain is the hurt that is felt, while suffering is the continued condition of feeling the pain. Some years back I was diagnosed with cancer. That was a trial that I had never experienced before. I had a serious condition that required immediate attention and surgery. Enter pain. The testing and surgery introduced pain into my life that I had never before experienced. For months I continued to suffer with the lingering side effects and pain as I recovered from surgery. Eventually the hardship of suffering decreased, the pain subsided and the trial ended. Was there any benefit to the suffering? Good health was the outcome, but is that the only outcome? In God’s eyes pain and suffering does have a purpose and a good outcome. 1 Peter 3:18 tells us that that the death of Christ was for the purpose of bringing us to God. Through the pain and suffering God brought good. 1 Peter 4 reminds us that we are to live in imitation of Christ having the same attitude (1). The message of the gospel is proclaimed through the pain of suffering. We can only know restoration to God through Jesus Christ who suffered and died for us. That is good news. In much the same way God redeems our suffering as we submit to Him using our pain for His purpose. On a human level that is hard. We want life to be pain free. However, I can personally say that God allowed me to tell others of His love and grace through the suffering caused by cancer. God wants to redeem your pain for His good. Will you let him?

For More See 1 PETER

Security

9/28/2025

Psalm 20
Some years ago I ended up with appendicitis. After a trip to the doctor’s office I was told go to the hospital immediately. My day and those following were turned completely upside down. After surgery there were some complications that led to a longer than expected recovery. The problem was that up to that point I was generally healthy, now I was confined to a bed in a hospital room. I was walking through the deep waters of troubling times. Perhaps you have been there. I could have, and did pray for God to return my health. However, I also prayed for God to use my unexpected problem and pain to gain His victory for His purpose. God answered that prayer, and over the next week or so I had multiple opportunities to talk with doctors, nurses and other staff about Jesus. Life is not about us and our problems, rather it is about how God is magnified through them. Psalm 20 opens with people praying for the king (1-4). Their prayer was not for the removal of the troubles but that David, the king, would believe God’s power and see His perspective. David and the people respond in complete confidence trusting God (5-8). The prayer for the king in troubling times was key for his confident faith in following God. How do we pray for others during times of trouble? Do we pray for their release from trouble or their practice of faith when in trouble? When we face times of trouble ourselves, do we invite others to pray for our spiritual perspective and a commitment to continue trusting God? We help others and ourselves grow in faith in times of trouble when we pray for God’s presence as we practice a Godly perspective of the problems at hand. Our prayer and praise turn our attention from the problem to our God who gives security in times of trouble.

For More See PSALMS

Hope for One

3/30/2025

Luke 19:28-40
Words have meaning and sometimes the smallest words have greater meaning. Scripture mentions three important words by stating, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13).” We often talk about faith and love, but what about hope? What is the significance of hope? Little girls are given the name Hope and towns are named Hope. Why? In hope there is a belief and desire that something better will happen. Thus, little girls are named Hope and towns in new locations are named Hope. We as people are looking for and hoping for something better. The same was true in Jesus day. The people had correctly understood the Old Testament prophets as they spoke about a coming savior (e.g., Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-8; Micah 5:2). Now, as Jesus entered Jerusalem in Luke 19, the people saw Him as the king that had come to save them. They recalled the miracles that Jesus had performed and began praising Him (37). The crowd praised Jesus as the king who had come to save them (38), while Jesus acted as a king by giving commands (28-31), riding into the city (35) and accepting the praise (39-40). Hope moves us to act. Yet why do we lack hope and become hopeless? Perhaps we believe only what can be seen rather than in God who is unseen and at work. Perhaps we believe that nothing will change because even God has not done anything about the problem. Faith in Jesus changes our perspective by helping us see beyond the problems to the new life and hope filled reality that God offers. Hope challenges us to believe differently in the midst of hard times. That is why we name children Hope, and live in towns called Hope, and have hope in only one Savior. Jesus is the saving king who has come to give hope to a world that puts hope in all the wrong places.

For More See LUKE

Darkness & Hope

12/8/2024

Isaiah 8:1-9:2
“Hey! Watch this!” That phrase is the beginning of what turns into a viral internet video. However, it normally does not end well. There is some sort of unspectacular splat into a puddle of sloppy mud. A miss on a throw, or an ungraceful flip that lacked execution leaving the performer in a pile and in pain. In many ways the people of Isaiah’s day had been playing a game of spiritual performance. They may have acted good trying to check the spiritual boxes, but in reality they were far from the mark of pleasing God. In fact Isaiah records the spiritual darkness of the people by describing their lack of trust in God. He says in chapter eight that they sought other sources of spiritual authority and spiritual direction (19-20). Their searching led them to seek other sources to satisfy their spiritual hunger (21). The result is that they have a limited spiritual perspective as all they see is filled with darkness, fear and gloom (22). Their spiritual acrobatics have been pitiful and not worthy of praise from God. They are left stumbling around in their problems and pain. They should have turned to God for help and direction in dealing with the sin in their lives and in their nation. So God hid His face from His people (17) and allowed them to continue in the path of their distrust leading to their despair and destruction. However, out of the darkness of sin that is pictured in Isaiah 8 a new reality of hope is described in chapter 9:1-2. In spite of the people rejecting God for other solutions He offers mercy and grace by offering His hope and salvation found in Jesus. God calls to the sinful world, “Hey! Watch this!” And Jesus was born to give God’s light and hope to all who are lost in the darkness of sin without Him.

For More See ISAIAH or CHRISTMAS

Hopeless

2/11/2024

Ruth 1
Have you ever faced the fear of uncertainty and the pain of loss? We all have to one degree or another. There is the loss of a job, the loss of a loved one or the loss of health. Each one of these carry with them their own complications, uncertainties and fears. A while ago I was talking with a friend who had lost his job. It was pretty easy to see his pain and hear his frustration. The answers of why and what next were not clear. However, through the present hopelessness he did not waver in his confident belief that God was in control and that somehow God would provide either where he was or some place new. At that juncture in time he was not willing to move unless God made it absolutely clear. Would you be able to display that same confident faith in God alone and His provision? As we pick up the story of Ruth, we see in chapter one that Naomi has faced the loss of her homeland and her family (1-5) and now she plans to make the transition home empty handed with nothing but personal hopelessness (6-14). In the midst of her pain God provides the blessing of a faithful and loyal daughter in law, Ruth, who even though she is grieving the loss of her own husband is led to be a blessing to her bitter mother in law (15-18). Ruth trusts God and seeks to display her faith by following Him, serving Naomi, even if that takes her away from her own homeland. We all face painful, heart wrenching situations in life. Let me encourage you to be used by God, even when you lack hope, to be a blessing to others like Ruth. In contrast, Naomi turned bitter toward God (19-21). Remember, God is at work redeeming even the worst of our life situations. Don’t go to another place or seek another position unless God makes it clear. Trust in God alone.

For more see RUTH

Invitation to Stability

6/25/2023

Philippians 1:12-30
In 2020 Bruno the bear made the news. His popularity was growing, yet not everyone knew about him. However, there was a small, but rapidly growing group that wanted to tell as many people as possible about Bruno. So who was Bruno? Well, he was a male black bear that was first spotted in Wisconsin. He travelled through Illinois and into Missouri. As Bruno travelled his fan base grew. There were over 27,000 people who wanted to tell others about a traveling bear named Bruno. Are we that intense about our faith? In Philippians 1:12-30 Paul notes that we are to live for God’s glory, regardless of our life circumstances. He knew that well, because he was writing this letter from prison. What got him there? Paul was arrested and placed in chains because of his beliefs and proclamation of Jesus Christ (13). Paul knew from firsthand experience that the spread of the message of good news about Jesus is not limited by our life conditions or circumstances. Perhaps we need to reevaluate our lives. Paul understood that participation in the good news about Jesus is more than just an assent of belief. Participation in the message of the gospel is actively living life for God’s glory and communicating the transforming message of Jesus Christ, regardless of our life circumstances. So what motivates us spiritually? The distractions and pain in life can often move us away from the most important message: the message of Christ as Savior. We need to realize that God will redeem even the difficult circumstances of our life by giving us opportunities to tell others of Him, just like Paul and Bruno.

For more see PHILIPPIANS or INVITATION SERIES

Patient Faith in Pain

5/28/2023

by Job 2:7-13
Pain tolerance is the maximum level of pain that we can put up with. Each person has a different level of pain tolerance. Our body will feel the pain and our brain will register how bad the pain is on our personal pain meter. For example, getting a shot from a doctor would be on the lower end of the pain meter, but having a large rock fall on our foot and break bones is a completely different level of pain. We as people deal with all kinds of pain, through out our lives, that can’t be measured by our personal pain tolerance. We all face physical pain from the bumps, bruises, and cuts in life. Yet beyond that we face emotional or psychological pain over personal loss and grief. How do we deal with pain? If we expect God to protect us from a life of pain we will miss seeing His power to save and our faith grow as He works through our pain. In Job 2 we now see the godly man Job face personal pain after the loss of all his possessions. Job is personally impacted by pain from the sores that cover his body (7). He also faces social pain as he is now an outcast from society sitting in a garbage dump (8). To top it off, Satan uses Job’s wife against him, to carry out his plan of seeking to turn Job from God (9). Job corrects his wife (10), because he understands that God uses problems to test us, train us, and grow us. Job understands that faith involves more than his personal comfort. Yet many people today base their faith on their comfort rather than on God. When the pain of this life can no longer be tolerated they question, doubt, and turn from God. Job did not tolerate his pain, instead he saw God as the only solution to his pain. When our pain comes, may we be like Job and follow God by faith.

For more see JOB

God's Sovereign Persistence

5/21/2023

Job 2:1-6
What do you do when you need fresh produce for a meal at home? Well, the answer is one of two things. The first option is that you may start a garden or plant some fruit trees. However, the results are not instantaneous. The second option is to go to the local grocery store. Upon entering the store you walk to the fresh produce case and examine the fruit and vegetables. You will look for bruises, bad spots, and unappealing bumps. Fruit that is shipped to our local grocery store will often arrive bruised from harvest and transportation. However, regardless of the lumps, bumps, and bruises a banana is still a banana. God made our fruits and vegetables to be consistent on the outside with what is on the inside. If you cut an apple open you do not expect to find a peach. The same consistency is true in the life of Job. As we move into chapter two we again see God’s rule over Satan (1-2). He is the defeated foe as God rules in the life of Job, His servant (3). However, Satan is not done, because he desires another chance to destroy Job (4-5). Yet, God in His sovereignty, allows Satan another chance to turn Job against Him (6). The sovereign persistence of God controlled Satan and kept Job. God, in His sovereignty, acts to preserve His servant. God is persistent in bringing about His plan in Job’s life and ours. We need to trust that only God can save us. Our effort to save ourselves is futile. Our enemy, Satan, is determined. However, God is all powerful, displaying His sovereign persistence. He knows the past, present, and future. His desire is that we submit to His rule and purpose in order to display His honor and glory through us. Like fruit that is squeezed and bruised, the servant of God under pressure displays God’s greatness to sustain and preserve.

For more see JOB

God's Permission

5/14/2023

Job 1:12-22
I am sure that you have seen the sign… “NO TRESPASSING.” Those two powerful words speak of ownership, control, and permission. In order to gain access to a property the visitor must get permission from the owner, because the owner is the one who controls the property. Without getting permission to access or use the property the trespasser will face the wrath of the owner who controls the land. In much the same way, that is what we see in the book of Job as Satan approaches God seeking permission to test Job’s faith (12). God granted permission so that He might display His grace and power to save through Job’s life and extinguish Satan’s argument. This was a chance for Job to exercise his faith. Well, Satan removed all of Job’s possessions (13-19) and left him in pain. However, that is not the end. Job responded in grief, but turned his pain into praise and worship of God (20). In the midst of his loss Job was able to express that his faith was in God and not in his possessions (21-22). This leaves us with several questions to ponder. 1) Do we believe that all we possess is truly a gift of God’s grace that we did not deserve? We as people like to believe that we earn our stuff through our effort. 2) Do we believe that God acts in grace to display His greatness through us? We, as people, do not like the idea that God can use our pain for His glory. 3) Do we trust God and His ability, or our abilities and possessions? We need to serve God from a heart of faith that trusts in Him at times. Remember, God is the one who hangs the No Trespassing sign on our life. Nothing happens without His knowledge, control, and permission for His glory.

For more see JOB

Job's Character

4/23/2023

Job 1:1-5
A police officer was making his rounds in the city. As he approached one intersection he noticed a commotion in the traffic ahead. As he puled his patrol car closer he saw an irate woman screaming at the top of her lungs, throwing stuff at other cars, and honking her horn for no reason at all. After observing this for a bit the officer turned on his lights and pulled the woman over. The woman angrily questioned why she was being stopped. The officer replied that he noticed the bumper sticker on the back that said, “Follow Me To Church.” He continued, “I looked at the bumper sticker, and I looked at your actions, and I thought that the car must be stolen.” Saying one thing and doing another is the definition of hypocritical character and a life that is spiritually out of balance. Character matters because it is the moral resolve in life that leads to a life lived with integrity, resulting in a good reputation. We see this in the life of Job. Even though Job was very wealthy (3), he still lived out his faith in front of his community (1), and family (2). There are three things that we can learn from Job in these verses. First, our character will display our relationship to God (1). How we live will authenticate what we claim about our relationship to God. If we talk about God but do not live for Him, then God is not followed. Second, our character will impact our view of money and possessions (3). How we treat our possessions will authenticate our relationship with God. If money and possessions are more important, then God is less important. Third, our character will impact our spiritual relationship with others (4-5). How we treat others spiritually will authenticate our relationship with God. If we say nothing about Jesus and do not point others to Jesus, then is He our God?

For more see JOB

Reflections on Worship

2/13/2023

Psalm 95:1-7
The sun was just setting in the western sky as I stepped our for a short evening walk. However, my eyes were distracted by the sight of flashing beacons on a plane as it flew overhead. My prayer was, “Lord, you know that we live in a busy world where we use what you have given us and flaunt our power only to neglect your power and grace that you display in the simplicity of the setting sun. Thanks for allowing me to see that illustrated before me.” In almost the next instant, my ears heard the scream of an ambulance and my eyes caught a glimpse of its flashing lights as they sought to solve someone’s emergency. Then in perfect contrast, from the other side, my ears heard the joyful honk of geese as they peacefully winged their way to their evening rest. Again my thoughts turned to praise, “Thank you God that you have placed us here to be your witnesses to people in pain, and yet we are still blessed to hear creation sing out your praise.” This simple stroll outside illustrates that worship of our great God can occur anytime and any place. Psalm 95 gives two invitations, first the invitation to praise God (1), and second the invitation to worship Him (7). As we recognize the greatness of God we should be drawn to honor and worship Him. Along with the psalmist, I invite you to come and sing out your praise to God through a heart full of worship. His greatness is on display for all our world to see. May you hear creation sing out our Creators praise, and hear the call to come and worship Him for His greatness and grace that He constantly puts on display for us.

For more see PSALMS

Why Pray?

1/29/2023

Luke 18:1-8
You hear the screaming child before you see them. You know, the one in the store in the next isle over that throws a temper tantrum because a wise parent just told them, “No.” There was the certain type of food or specific treat that was just refused and the result is a vocal show complete with flailing arms. The child has gone completely out of control screaming for what they desperately think they need. We groan when we see that play out, but do we not do the same thing with God at times? We think we know what is best and exactly what we need, so we proceed to tell God what He must do for us. Our request turns to a loud demand and then to a scream and God refuses to answer. James 4:3 states that we do not receive from God because we ask with wrong motives. Instead, our prayer should be like the woman in Luke 18:1-8 who persistently asked the judge to do what is right. Her persistence is faith in action. But, what keeps us from prayer and seeking God’s righteousness in our life and our world? The main issue is a lack of faith that displays itself through our response to pain, problems, and pride. When we are in pain we incorrectly think that God is distant and does not hear. When we face problems we attempt our solutions rather than His, because in pride we say that we do not need God. At times we simply do not pray because we do not believe that God hears or is powerful enough to work. Prayer is our communication of faith to our loving heavenly Father who is able to work. God sees, knows, has the solution, and is able to work. Will we let Him? Will we pray?

For more see LUKE or DISCIPLESHIP

Conformity to God's Standard

11/27/2022

Romans 8:28
William Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who lived from 1957-1999. He was at the peak of his career, having won eleven PGA events and three major championships, when he tragically died. At the age of 42 he was killed in an airplane accident because the plane cabin did not pressurize resulting in a lack of oxygen at high altitudes. The plane traveled for hours on auto pilot until it finally ran out of fuel and crash landed. People around the world grieved the loss of this flamboyant golfer who was in his prime. Yet, in the pain, God was at work. You see, Stewart and several others on board that doomed flight were believers in Jesus Christ. Through the sorrow of their passing God brought about His good. Others came to faith in Christ through their death. Often we define good as being what is pleasant to us. However, in Romans 8:28 good is defined in the context of the following verse as being conformed to Jesus Christ. Our conformity is based on confidence in the ultimate goodness of God’s work and His shaping of our character in the process. God works in the lives of those who believe Him to bring about His purposes displayed through their lives. Some of those life events may be peaceful from a human perspective while others may be painful. Ultimately, however long or short, our lives are to be lived to honor God. Though the span of years that God allows us we are to consistently display God’s power at work transforming us into the likeness of His Son. Like pottery in the hands of the potter we are molded and shaped under the watchful eye of our loving Father for the purpose of displaying His greatness. Who is shaping your life? Remember, God’s plans are to bring about His good in your life and display you as His masterpiece.

For more see ROMANS or MISAPPLIED SCRIPTURE VERSES

God's Plans - present pain future hope

11/13/2022

Jeremiah 29:1-14
Have you ever had surgery? Some time ago I had to face the reality that cancer and its corruption was growing inside me. The best option was surgery to remove the cancer. In the process of preparation for surgery I asked my doctor many questions. I had to trust him completely for the surgery to remove the cancer and for the outcome that I could not see after surgery. My doctor gave me hope that even though this would be a long process of recovery, I would be better in the end. Like you, I did not like the pain of surgery, but the pain had a purpose of bringing about the restoration of my health. I had a compassionate doctor who sought the best plan for my life. Likewise, the prophet Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet because of his continued compassion for his audience. He wrote a letter to his nation, exiled in a foreign land, to give them hope in God. In his book, Jeremiah records how the people have placed their trust in other things rather than God. This led the people to be discouraged as they were in exile. Jeremiah communicates God’s message that there is hope beyond the pain if they trust in Him. For us today the message is the same. Like the people of Jeremiah’s day we are easily led astray and place our trust any where else but in God. Misplaced trust in unreliable and powerless sources will lead to discouragement. However, hope is found by trusting in God who is all powerful. Through the pain of life God is working out His purpose in our life. At times, pain may be God’s design for our correction and redirection, but ultimately it is for our connection with Him. God will use pain for the purpose of drawing us to Him. God’s desire is to give hope in His future.

For more see JEREMIAH or MISAPPLIED SCRIPTURE VERSES

Priority of Patience

10/9/2022

James 5:7-12
Fall time is here and the garden is just about done producing. Over the course of the summer seeds have been planted and we watched them sprout. With the proper sunlight, fertilizer and water the plants have grown and produced a harvest that we could only dream about just a few months ago. Gardners and farmers: work the ground in preparation for harvest, weed the ground for a pure harvest, and patiently wait for the harvest. All crops take a certain amount of time, water, and sunlight to grow. We just need the patience to wait for them to grow. In this passage James first provides a simple spiritual challenge or exhortation. This challenge is then followed by two examples of how others displayed a patient faith. James then adds two specific ways to practice or exercise patience and thus display their faith in God. The general challenge or encouragement is to live a life of patience (7). This is followed by the example of patience in waiting as seen in the farmer (7-8), and the prophets plus Job and their patience in pain (10-11). James also provides the practical ways to exercise the practice of patience by not grumbling (9) and being reliable in the promises that are made (12). We may struggle at times with a lack of patience, but have we thought about how it reflects our faith in Christ? When we live patiently under trials we will patiently long for the day of Christ’s return. When we speak with patience it reflects our faith in God even in times of frustration. When we live a life of patient faith we are an active witness of God’s transforming power that enables us to endure. This week, may we be patient people who display the greatness of our God.

For more see JAMES

The Purpose of Trials

7/10/2022

James 1:1-12
Do you know what an anagram is? An anagram is when you take a word or phrase and rearrange the letters to make a different word or phrase by using all of the letters only once. For example, some simple ones would be heart that turns into earth, part becomes trap, or secure that becomes rescue. Try it with any word and see what you can come up with. In fact why don’t we try one together! Let’s take the word trial. An anagram of trial could be trail. As we begin a new study in the book of James, we see that the author wants his audience to develop a faith that is lived out in everyday life and displayed through their actions, and attitudes that motivate their actions. James begins the first chapter by noting that faith in Jesus Christ brings stability to life in the midst of trials. A trial is simply God allowing difficulty and or pain to deepen and encourage our confidence in Him. James notes that trials have the purpose of growing an enduring faith in God (2-4). The practice of faith in trials causes us to seek God’s wisdom (5-8) which requires personal humility (9-11). James says that God will reward this life of faith (12). To summarize, James is not interested in his audience simply stating that they have faith. His desire is that they have a faith that impacts their behavior. Perhaps put another way, James wants his audience to view trials as a way to walk the trail of faith that God has for each believer. As we walk by faith down the trail of trial we humbly depend on God for the wisdom and strength to endure. This week may your faith impact your perspective of your trial so you can see that this is God’s way to grow you as you walk His trail.

For more see JAMES

Danger When Following God

10/17/2021

Exodus 14:1-14
Paralyzed with fear… Have you ever been there? One time I climbed a pole on an obstacle course and had to stand on the swaying top which was about the size of a dinner plate. Once on top, and 20 to 30 feet in the air, I had to jump to another similar pole about 8 feet away. I knew I had a safety line that would catch me, but as I stood on top of the swaying pole I could not make my body jump. Eventually, I threw myself off my perilous perch, missed the other pole, but was caught by the safety line. It is amazing how quickly I forgot the confidence and security that the safety line provided. Likewise, in Exodus 14:1-14 we see the nation of Israel forget the strength and protection of God. They had just seen God humble Pharaoh, the most powerful king at that time. Now they look up to see that Pharaoh has changed his mind about releasing them (5-9) and is now racing after them with horses and chariots. They responded in fear (10-12) seeing only their coming destruction not the power and protection of God. Moses then stepped in and delivered God’s message to the people (13-14) saying three things. First, do not fear; second, stand firm; and third, see God’s salvation because He will fight for you. Like the nation of Israel, fear will often paralyze us and blind us from seeing the power of God. We struggle to control danger and fix it before it hurts us. Fear calls us into action to protect ourselves from danger, but faith tells us to be still and let God fight. Our response to danger and fear is a chance to honor God and let Him display His greatness in our situation and through us.

For more see FEAR, FAITH & FOLLOWING

Overcoming Grief

11/12/2020

Grief is difficult, but unexpected grief is often more difficult. How do we respond when we are filled with grief over unexpected events, loss of loved ones or tragedies in life?

In times like these we may often look to the past and ask, “Why?” That is partly a fair question because we are seeking to find answers from God to questions about the hurt and loss that we feel. That is good because God is big enough to handle our questions, but He may or may not fully answer them. The other part of a question involving “Why” is unfair because often we place ourselves into the situation.When we look back on the situation we unfairly believe that we could have done more. Please be careful in taking this position. When we take this position we add guilt upon ourselves and burden ourselves with believing that we can control all of life. God is in control of all things, and it is important to let Him be God. That does not mean that God is the author of evil. When we are faced with the pain of bad situations this just means that God has allowed the condition of our fallen world and sin to draw us closer to Him as the only one who can fix this mess.

In times of pain and grief perhaps a better question to ask is “How?” With this question we can look at where we are and perhaps how we arrived at this position, but also how we move forward. This is a place where we can admit freely to God our inadequacies and our need for Him to manage the situations in life and give us His perspective. God is the one who has solutions not just answers. My hope and prayer is that this point in your life is one where you draw closer to Him and find in Him the peace for your situation and salvation for your soul. God has given ultimate peace and purpose for your life through knowing and believing that Jesus has accomplished salvation for you. My prayer is that you will find in Him alone the solutions for any burdens and grief hat you may be carrying right now.

So how are you really doing? I hope that you are finding healing, rest and you are able to start moving on from the grief but not the positive memories that you carry. I also pray that your sorrow will not result in you pushing God away but instead draw you closer to Him and His grace. I pray that you will come to know God as the healer of your broken heart and restorer of your soul.