The Text Message

Ever receive a text message, phone call, letter, or email that changed the course of your day?  One of those moments happened to me last night at 10:30.  The text message from my best friend read, "I need you..."  I quickly scooped up Sweet Petite and made the important phone call.  And my evening changed course rapidly.  And my heart broke.  I have shared numerous heart breaks with this friend, but none quite as painful as last night.  And I was speechless.  I didn't have the adequate words to comfort her.  And sleep eluded me.
But during my restlessness through the night, I felt the comfort of the Holy Spirit and He spoke to my heart...and I heard, "Jessica, I can work all things for good for those that love me and are called according to my purpose". So, I texted my friend a simple message...It read Romans 8:28.

Not everything in this life is good.  You see, God gave us free will....free will to make choices...and those choices, both ours and the choices of others, can cause heartache.  There are consequences to the choices we make, which is why it so important to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in our choices.  But I cling to the promise that God can and will work ALL things together for good.  After all, He knew long before we made our choice what it was going to be.  He also knew our reactions to those choices, again both our choices and the choices of others, but He promises that good will come from those choices if we love Him.  God does not seek to harm us or hurt us or destroy us.  Which means, our bad choices are not of God.   It does mean, however, that our poor choices are a direct result of not walking with God or having a daily relationship with Him.

Does my heart still ache for my friend?  Absolutely!  Do I know how my friend's situation will turn out?  No.    Do I know what I can do for my friend?  Yes,  I can pray and pray and pray.  Do I know what to pray for?  Not really, but I know this...

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. " Romans 8:26-27

I am boldly approaching the throne of grace and laying this heartache at Jesus' feet.  I trust that He has a mighty plan in this that will ultimately bring glory to the Kingdom.  Until He reveals that plan, I will tell my friend that He is close to the those with broken hearts and He will heal her. I know this is true because of Psalm 34:18.

And I ask that you pray too...while you do not know what or who you are praying for, the Holy Spirit knows and God will hear your prayer.