What about when we hurt???

I was at a worship meeting tonight and a friend was sharing his heart on where he was at and what God was speaking to him during this time. It really impacted me, so I thought I would share… He firstly shared about the parable in Matthew 20, how a landowner hired some workers for the day and agreed upon a wage for their work. As time passed throughout the day, the landowner hired more workers who didn’t have work for the day. The day grew later and later and the landowner continued to hire workers into the late hours of the day. At the end of the day the landowner gathered the workers together to pay them their wages, he paid the first hired workers their agreed upon sum and then continued to pay all the other workers hired throughout the day and even late in the day, the same wage as the initial hired workers! Those who had worked the longest hours of the day were furious! They felt this so unjust, to be paid the same wage as those who had only worked a small fraction of the long laborious hours they had! How unfair!!! (Feel Free to read the whole story for yourself if you want the story in its entirety and full meaning.)

Isn’t that how many of us feel in various seasons of our lives?! I know I have several friends right now, of whose circumstances, I think so unfair!!! Why them? Why now? Why still? Why this?

He continued to share from John 11 regarding the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus was in another city (a nearby city), away from his friend Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. The sisters sent news to Jesus that Lazarus was very ill- could He not come and heal their brother?! But Jesus delayed and continued with His work in the other city and came once He was done. But he came too late! Lazarus was dead. Then, Jesus wept. He wept! But couldn’t He have saved Lazarus had He come earlier? Why didn’t He come earlier?! Why didn’t He come when the sisters called? Why doesn’t He always come at the timing when we call? The parable continues, and Jesus tells them to remove the stone from in front of the tomb. But they replied, he’s been dead for 4 days, it will really stink… really stink….really stink!!!! Isn’t that just it?! Sometimes our circumstances really stink!!! They really are horrible to experience.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there, and nor should we. It’s far easier to walk away from the smell. It often seems easier just to not deal with, or get bitter about. But He says “Unbind him, and let him go.” In other wards, take his grave clothes off! Remove the sorrow, free him! It is time to move forward, it is time to praise. It doesn’t mean it’s easy, but let’s remove the grave clothes.

Jesus didn’t give us life to be bound, but to be free. If this is where you’re at, I pray (and have been praying) for victory and breakthrough in your life, and for the freedom to rejoice!!!