The Prodigal Child Part II

A previous post titled The Prodigal Child describes the prodigal path as a path of selfishness that leads you away from God. The problem with the prodigal path is it ruins your relationship with God, with others, and with yourself.

The prodigal path is fun and exciting when you first start to walk on it. You embark on a journey that seems to fix any number of problems you might have in your life.

Maybe your marriage is not what you want it to be so you are drawn to someone else, regardless of whether or not they are married, too. You feel the excitement of something new and forbidden. You walk towards that other person in your mind and heart and then in word and deed. You become blinded by sin and are walking the path of adultery and divorce leaving damaged and broken lives behind you. It doesn’t matter that God tells you in the Bible that He hates divorce.

Maybe your prodigal path is one of total withdrawal. You have retreated from life and refuse to be a participant. You do not trust anyone nor do you seek to share your hurts with anyone. You hold on to bitterness and anger nursing it as a reminder of the injuries you have experienced in life. A friend's betrayal, a spouse's lies and adultery, a rape, child abuse, a medical diagnosis, a loved one's death, or your own sin has made you retreat to a life of solitude powered by hurt, loneliness, anger, bitterness, pain, or shame. It doesn’t matter that God has promised to forgive you, restore you to a relationship with Him, and be with you always and to never leave you.

Maybe you are bored or disenchanted with life and one night while surfing the internet you come across a provocative website. The excitement of pornography grabs your attention. Before you know it, you are registered on multiple websites catering to a sexual addiction that steals you of your time and money. It doesn’t matter that God tells you in the Bible that you are to be pure in our thoughts and actions.

Maybe you have pain and torment that you have no idea what to do with. God hasn't answered your prayers for deliverance and you become tired of waiting for Him to deliver you. So you seek to relieve your pain in any one of the following diversions; alcohol, drugs, fantasy, shopping, or gossiping. You find that diversions like these numb your mind or body and make you forget your pain. These things will lead you to walk down the prodigal path of addiction. It doesn’t matter that God tells you in the Bible that He will comfort you and heal you.

It does not matter what your prodigal path looks like or what activities you participate in along the way. The departure point and the destination point are all the same. The departure point is rejecting God and His plan for your life. The destination point is ruin, destruction, and death to you and those affected by your choices.

There is an alternative route to the prodigal path. It is called the path of righteousness, or right living with God. The path of righteousness is a safe path, a healthy path, a life-giving path. The traveling companions on the path of righteousness are God the Father, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit Who will be your teacher, guide and comforter. You also have angels watching over you as you travel the path of righteousness.
There is a famous poem titled The Road Not Taken (also known as The Road Less Traveled) by Robert Frost. In this poem, the traveler states:

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”

There are two roads in life to choose from: the path of the prodigal which leads to ruin, decay, and destruction or the path of righteousness which leads to life, peace, and joy. In our American culture, it appears as if the road less traveled is the path of righteousness. I have no doubt that if you travel the path of righteousness it will make all the difference in your life. Choose God’s path of right living and as you make the journey, let God minister peace and healing to your soul and to your life.

Scripture and References
Malachi 2:14-16: “…the Lord is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. … So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. ‘I hate divorce,’ says the Lord God…”

Deuteronomy 31:6: “…the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

James 5:16: “Confess your sins [faults] to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Psalm 101:2-3: “I will be careful to lead a blameless life…I will walk in my house with a blameless heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing.”

I Timothy 5:22: “…do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.”

Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”

Galatians 6:8-9: “Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at…[He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” (Amplified Version)

The Road Not Taken can be found at http://quotations.about.com/cs/poemlyrics/a/Road_Not_Taken.htm

The Prodigal Child: A Wayward Son is Accepted and Restored

The prodigal son was a son. He wasn't an outsider. He was a member of the family, yet he left all that was his and lived a rebellious life.

The prodigal son did things his father would never approve of. Yet, his father never tried to stop him from the lifestyle he had chosen for himself. Instead, the father waited. And waited. And waited. The father waited for the son to see the error of his choices. The father waited for the son to come home.

As believers, we can become prodigal children. Before we began a relationship with Jesus, we were called sinners and we were not a part of the family of God. But God saved us when we confessed our sins and chose to live in a way that pleases Him. If we turn our backs on God after becoming a believer we are a prodigal child. God our Father stills loves us, yet He will not force us to stay with Him. We can leave and do whatever we want. We can do all kinds of things that He would not approve of and He will not stop us. What does God do while we walk the path of prodigal selfishness instead the path of righteousness? He waits. And waits. And waits. God our Father waits for us to return to Him.

The wayward son came to his senses after suffering the consequences of his actions. He made the choice to leave the pig pen he was in and return to his father's house. When he got home, he wasn't even up to the house yet when his dad came running out to meet him. His dad rushed to make him part of the family again. It didn't even take the time for the son to walk the length of the driveway before he experienced the love and forgiveness of his father. He was restored and reconciled before he had a chance to say anything.

It does not matter how far we have moved away from God, our Heavenly Father, all we have to do is turn around and face Him, apologize to Him, and confess our prodigal sins. In that moment, we find out how fast God our Father will restore our relationship with Him. We will discover how fast God our Father will pour out His love on us. Love that He has been waiting to give to us. We will experience how quickly we can be accepted again.

Are you a prodigal child right now? Are you on the prodigal path that leads you farther and farther away from your Father God? Or are you in the prodigal pig pen? Maybe you have walked the prodigal path and are living in the prodigal pig pen reaping the consequences of your choices and actions. Have you reached the end of yourself, your abilities, and your resources to live the prodigal life? Has the pain of being a runaway child of God become too much? If so, don't despair. Just turn around and face the direction that leads you back to a relationship with your Heavenly Father. He has been watching and waiting every moment of every day for your return home. Turn your back on the selfishness that started you down the prodigal path. Turn your back on unbelief, addictions, self-indulgent living, adulterous relationships, apathy, laziness, and anything that has led you away from your relationship with God.

Turn your back on prodigal living and find out how fast God's love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy will meet you and hug you.

Scripture
The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-24)
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

It's Okay to Cry

I think I have finally learned how to cry. You might be thinking “What is there to learn about how to cry? You shed tears and you cry.” For me, crying wasn’t that simple.

The majority of my life has been spent with my emotions locked away. A variety of circumstances taught me how to turn off my emotions when I was a child and, as a result, I cried very little as a child, teenager, or adult. I have not been cold-hearted and emotionless. I have just not allowed myself to experience emotions in a normal, healthy manner.

Sixteen months ago my life was turned upside down and the end result was losing something I valued very much. I was placed in a situation that I had no control over and was betrayed with lies and broken promises. The extreme pain I felt as a result of this situation forced on the emotional switch I kept turned off for many, many years. As a result, many years of hurt and anger were released too quickly and I was unable to deal with my emotions appropriately. Through my circumstance, I learned how to experience emotions and identify them. I also learned how to let emotions express themselves and I have been on a journey to learn how to manage my emotions. I can honestly say with the testimony of my friends and those who know me that I am more mature now after my life was torn apart than what I was before. I believe that learning how to cry has contributed to my growth.

Prior to my life-changing event, I would cry on occasion. However, outside of crying in church I would cry only when stress forced the tears to fall. The tears were nothing but a stress release I could not control. I did not want to cry because I believed crying was useless. I did not cry willingly and hated it when I cried. I did not talk to anyone about the pain I carried inside me for the same reason I did not cry. I kept my pain inside and chose not to talk to people because I believed that talking was useless. Talking would not change the situation or the circumstances. As a result of this belief system, I kept everything inside, all my hurt and all my tears. I realize now my philosophy on crying and talking to others was faulty and did me nothing but harm.

I have learned this past sixteen months that crying can be therapeutic and healing . I found it is true that crying and talking about my pain does not change my situation or the circumstances. But that’s okay because I have learned that crying and talking about my pain changes me. When I cry these days, I cry in the direction of my Heavenly Father believing and experiencing that He comforts those who mourn and hurt. I have learned as I cry in the direction of my Heavenly Father that it is possible to cry as a result of deep pain yet have hope and peace at the same time.

My philosophy about crying these days is this: It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to express pain and hurt through tears. It’s okay to talk and let someone else in on your pain. And even though the circumstances may not change, you can change and rise above the circumstances that caused your pain.

Go ahead. Grab a box of Kleenex or a hankie and cry in God’s direction. Take time to mourn and weep and pour out your heart to Him. Ask God to teach you how to cry if you need to. Ask Him to comfort you while you express your hurt with tears. Ask Him to sit next to you while you cry. Trust your hurts and tears to a Heavenly Father Who loves you and will speak peace and comfort and healing to your wounded soul.

Bible References
Psalm 77:1: “I cry out to God without holding back…” (New Living Translation)

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:…a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”
Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 5:4: “Blesssed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”

Heaven Is a Real Place

Every time I would visit my grandmother on my dad’s side of the family, I would hear stories about heaven. My dad’s dad died when he was a young teenager and my grandmother never remarried. She was a woman of unshakeable faith and fully believed that Everett, her preacher husband, was in Heaven with his Lord and Savior. Whenever my grandmother and I would be talk about faith and God things, she would always…and I mean always…get around to the subject of heaven. Her consistent statement was, “I got kinfolk over there, ya know. My Everett is there and one day I will see him again.” When Granny Burton talked about heaven she made it sound so real that it felt like it was a place you could get in your car and drive to.

When Granny passed away I had the incredible honor of offering the eulogy at her funeral. I did the typical opener and described things that I could remember as kid. Things like sharing her hot tea with coffee mate in it (to this day I still drink hot tea with coffee mate in it), eating her Ayds appetite-suppressant diet candies like they were real candy because they tasted so good, helping her draw water from her well and then sharing an ice-cold drink from the ladle with her, and the warmth of the wood stove she had in her living room. But the main thing I shared with family and friends at Granny’s funeral is the legacy of faith that I believe she gave me.

I have never had any significant doubts about whether God exists and is real. I know of some believers who go through periods of doubt but I have not experienced faith-shaking doubts about whether God is real. I firmly believe in a God Who is the Creator of the universe as described in the Holy Bible. I firmly believe in the Son of God being born a human and dying on a cross to save me from my sins. And I firmly believe in Heaven, a place where believers go to live forever when their body experiences physical death. I am confident that I received this legacy of faith from my grandmother who believed it with all her heart and soul and who talked about it with me.

What about you? Have you been privileged to have a family member demonstrate an unshakeable faith in God and a place called Heaven? Or are you the one to be a faith pioneer in your family and demonstrate that faith to others? How real is Heaven to you? Is Heaven a new home you are looking forward to moving into and sharing with God for eternity? Or do you not think about it all?

I readily admit that I am not in any desire to leave earth any sooner than what's necessary, yet I am looking forward to the day when I will see Jesus, my Lord and Savior face to face. I am looking forward to the day when I will see my Granny Burton again and meet my Grandpa Everett who died before my parents even met. I know of other believers who have died and I look forward to seeing them again when it’s my turn to move into heaven. My grandmother gave me the example of living a life that looks forward to the next life and I am thankful to God for giving me such a spiritual example. I pray that I can serve as an example and leave a legacy of faith to others so that I can end up in heaven with as many people who have shared life on earth with me as is possible.

Is Heaven so real to you that if feels like you could get in a car and drive there? What kind of legacy of faith are you leaving?

When You Feel Like Qutting

Source and Author Unknown
“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1

George Mueller was a great man of faith and prayer. He once prayed for a friend's salvation. The man did not respond to Christ but Mueller kept praying. For over 60 years he prayed confidently, earnestly and expectantly for his friend to be saved. At George Mueller's funeral, that friend he had prayed for all those 60+ years gave his heart to Christ.

But It’s Not Working!
How easy it is for us to look at the results of our prayers and conclude, "This is not working. God is not answering. I just need to quit!" Have you ever thought that and done that? Quit on your dream, your miracle, your marriage, your breakthrough? As one wise preacher has said, "It's always too early to quit."

Jesus told a parable of a widow who was being oppressed and cheated by another. She went to the judge for legal protection, and he was unwilling to help her. What did she do? Throw up her hands and quit? Curl up into a ball and detach from society? Curse God and die? NO!!! She kept coming back, day after day, to the judge and bombarded him with her request, "Give me legal protection from my opponent." Although the judge was unrighteous and unmoved in heart by her pleas, her persistence wore him out, and he gave her what she asked for.

Don't you know how easy it would have been for her to quit? She did not know that her persistence was wearing him down. She just knew that the judge was her only hope and she kept coming to Him. Obviously, what appeared from the outside observer to not be working, was indeed working and eventually, the judge granted her request.

Keep Praying
My friend, when you are tempted to quit praying about something because you see no visible results DON'T! Keep trusting God, and keep bombarding heaven with your prayers. Remember, God is not an unrighteous judge who cares nothing for us. God is a good and loving Father who desires to answer us IF we will keep praying and calling out to Him. He is a God who loves persistent prayer because persistent prayer tells God you believe Him and trust Him regardless of the circumstances.

Have you thrown in the towel on something you used to pray about - a friend's salvation, a relationship to be restored, a career change, a prodigal son to return, revival in America? Pick up the towel and get back on your knees again. Pray according to His will with confidence and expectation of an answer (1 John 5:14-15). God promises that He will not delay long over His elect who cry out to Him day and night. He will answer us at the right time with a mighty answer from heaven.

Scriptures
I John 5:14-15: “This is the confidence that we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Resurrection Power: Beauty from Ashes

Today is Easter Sunday, the day when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is one of the three most honored days in the Christian experience; Good Friday and Christmas day are the other two.

Christmas is the celebration and remembrance of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus chose to leave the glory He had in Heaven and become a human being. As a human, He experienced everything we humans experience such as physical pain, emotional pain, and temptation. Yet, even though He was human, He did not sin.

Good Friday is the day to honor the death of Jesus. He was found guilty by His own people of blasphemy because He claimed to be the Son of God. The Roman government was involved as the executioners of this crime Jesus was charged with. The Jewish religious leaders struck Him, spit on Him, and cast Him out to be turned over to the Roman government. The soldiers in the employment of the Roman government mocked Him and beat Him without mercy. The struck Him on the head and whipped His body with a metal-tipped whip. They shoved a crown made from thorns on His head. Scriptures record that Jesus was beaten beyond recognition. After the beatings and torture, Jesus was nailed to a cross upon which He died. As the sinless God-man, His death became the final offering, the final sacrifice, for the sins of mankind.

Easter Sunday is the celebration and remembrance that Jesus rose from the grave. As the Son of God, His death was planned by His Heavenly Father so that the resurrection could take place. The resurrection is God’s victory over death and sin. The death of Jesus had to occur. The sinless God-man had to die to take away the sin of those who believe in Him. The sinless God-man had to die in order to go to hell to defeat sin and death itself. The sinless God-man rose from the grave through the resurrection power of God to give all would believe in Him victory over sin and death. Without Jesus’ death, none of these things could occur.

Jesus willingly accepted the task of leaving Heaven and setting aside His glorious majesty as God’s Son to become a flesh-and-blood human. He willingly accepted the Father’s will that He be tortured and die a horrendous death on the cross. Why? Scripture tells us that Jesus knew the good purpose His life, death, and resurrection would provide for mankind. The Bible even says that Jesus knew there would be joy as a result of what He suffered: “…who for the joy set before endured the cross, scorning its shame…” (Hebrews 12:2). God planned and allowed all of this to happen.

This Easter season, I have been thinking about my pain, suffering, and loss. I ask myself if God planned and allowed it to happen. My thoughts lead me to the Bible to try and find an answer to my question.

This Easter I think of Joseph whose story can be found in the book of Genesis. Out of jealousy because Joseph was their father’s favorite, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. While in slavery he was wrongly accused of attempted rape and suffered in prison as a result.
This Easter I think of Job whose story can be found in the book of Job. Job was the most faithful and wealthiest man in all the earth. Satan appeared before God and accused God of putting a hedge of protection around Job. Satan told God that the only reason Job worships Him is because He blesses him and protects him. If God dropped this protective shield then Job would think differently about God. God gave Satan permission to do whatever he wanted to Job except to touch Job himself. As result, Satan causes Job to all in one day, lose his all his livestock, which was his wealth, and lose his seven sons and three daughters in a freak accident. Despite it all, Job does not blame God and the Bible reveals that Job did not sin in his words or his attitude.
Satan appears before God a second time and tells God that Job will curse God to His face if his life is threatened. God gives Satan permission to do whatever he wants to Job except kill him. Satan causes painful sores to cover Job’s entire body yet in all of this, Job does not blame God for what is happening. Job even says, “Shall we not accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10).

This Easter I think about my story. I think about the pain and loss I have experienced and I must ask myself some questions? Like Jesus I have asked, “Father, is there any other way than this one? If there isn’t any other way, then not my will be done in me but Your will be done in me.” I ask myself the attitude behind Job’s question, “Do I accept only good things from You, Father God, and reject the idea that trouble might be Your will for me life as it was for Joseph, Job, Jesus, and others?” I consider Jesus’ attitude and ask, “Father, will You help me to see this situation the way You see it? Will You help me to see the joy that will be mine when You deliver me from this pain and hurt?”

Joseph forgave his brothers for what they did to him and told them that what they had meant for evil God worked out for good. Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Jesus said, “…not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). The end result of these stories of betrayal, pain, and suffering?

God honored Joseph’s faith by paying him back for all the wrong that had been done to him. Joseph interpreted a dream for the Pharaoh of Egypt about a coming famine and was immediately placed in charge over all of Egypt second in power only the Pharaoh. He was also given a wife who gave him a family. As the famine worsened, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food and Joseph was instrumental in saving the lives of all of his blood relatives, God’s chosen people whose generations would produce the baby Jesus.

God honored Job’s faith by giving him another family of seven sons and three daughters. God also restored Job’s health and gave him twice the wealth he had before his faith was tested.
God honored Jesus’ faith and obedience by raising Him from the dead so that we could have the life of God in us through Him. God honored Jesus’ faith by giving Him a place of authority in the spiritual realm so that we can walk in freedom from the power of sin.

The Bible tells us that as believer’s, we have the same power at work in us that raised Jesus from the dead: “…his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand…” (Ephesians 1:19-20).

I confess I do not understand God’s sovereignty, God’s ability, desire, and choice to do whatever He wants to do. There are times when I think that God could have stopped all of the awful and terrible things that have happened that devastate people’s lives.Yet, I trust Him even though I don’t understand. How can I trust Him? Because I read stories of faith like those of Joseph, Job, Jesus, and many others found in the Bible and I see that in every instance, God worked the situation out for the good of those who loved Him. He destroyed the works of the devil in their lives and paid them back for the wrong that was done to them. I trust the God of Joseph, Job, and Jesus to work my situation out for my good and to pay me back for the wrong that has been done to me. I trust the Father of Jesus Who is my Father, too, to exert His power in me to create life out of death in me.

I choose to have the faith and heart of Joseph who forgave those who wronged him and confessed that what they meant for evil God worked for good. I choose to have the faith and heart of Job who lost everything just short of his life and yet he still praised God. I choose to have the faith and heart of my Lord and Savior Jesus, Who lived in submission and surrender to God’ will for Him. I choose to believe that my God can be trusted to take the ashes created by events in my life and turn them into something beautiful for a greater good than I am not able to fully see right now.

This is Easter Sunday. A day that reminds me that God even uses Satan and his evil works to reveal God’s glory.

This is Easter Sunday. A day that reminds us of the hope that God truly can take the situations that Satan intends for evil and work them out for the incredible good of those who love Him.

Hurting and Lonely

I am hurting and lonely tonight. The silence in my house seems to echo off the walls. This silence enhances my sense of pain and loneliness.

I called a friend to talk about something that pertains to tomorrow and she sensed something was wrong. This friendship is only a few months old, but it is a God-created friendship and it feels as if we have been good friends for a very long time. Our friendship is mature enough that even after a few short months she sensed something in my voice and asked if I wanted to talk. I replied that there really wasn’t much to talk about. She knows my story and I would not be telling her anything new. I was tempted to resort to old habits and say “I am fine” and not talk about what is going on inside me. Instead of staying isolated, I chose to be honest and said, “I just hurt and I feel lonely.”

My friend offered words of encouragement and reminded me that I am doing the right things and “it won’t always be like this.” She said that what I am experiencing “is only for a season” and that I will not always be hurting or feeling lonely. I knew the words she spoke were true even though the truth feels like such a far away thing. As she spoke her words of encouragement, I remembered something she said in a conversation last week: “God’s timing is perfect.”

I do not know how long I will continue to hurt and feel lonely. Sometimes my emotional state seems like winter, it lasts longer than I want it to. Despite the fact that I do not know how long I will continue hurting, I truly know that God is at work in me healing my broken heart. I know that even when I feel incredibly lonely like I do tonight, I am not alone. God is with me. And even in the midst of the hurt and loneliness, I can sense God’s presence. I can sense His pleasure with me because of the choices I am making in my pain and loneliness to walk the road ahead that He has prepared for me. This road is not one that is filled with selfishness and pain-numbing activities (although I could take that road if I wanted to). God’s road for me is a road that is full of life and hope and integrity. It is a road full of peace and comfort. It is a road full of traveling companions like the one I talked to tonight. It is a road filled with good things that can come from God and God alone. It is a road that is reflective of God's speed limit for my healing. It is the only road I want to travel.

Scriptures for Comfort
Isaiah 43:1-3: “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you…he who formed you… “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God…””

Jeremiah 31:13: “…I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”

Psalm 23:1-3: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside the still waters, he restores my soul, He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Psalm 28:6-7: “Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”

Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”