Rest in Him for Your Strength

There is Comfort Found in Quiet Time with God

Hurry, hurry, hurry! Rushing here and there and really getting nowhere seems to be the way we live life when all is normal and well. BUT, when grief strikes the depths of our heart, we suddenly find that a song of a different beat is sung. “Time stands still.”

Quiet times become much harder to handle. Our loneliness seems to shout out to us in the silence and reminds us that nothing is right, and life has been turned upside-down. We grasp for some normalcy of the hustle and bustle of life again, but it doesn’t happen. Not yet. Not when grief is raw and new.

Busy lives are most generally happy lives, but there does come a season when it is good to be still. Sometimes we have to wait out the storm and regroup. We need time and space and even some silence to find that place called our “new normal.”

In the battlefront of our tears and grief, we often find the most comfort from retreating from the hurriedness of life for a while and just being still. Sitting among the solitude of nature is often grief’s most helpful comfort. In the still of the night is the time we can most clearly hear the whisper of our closest Friend, our Father, our Comforter.

Don’t fear the quiet; rather embrace it for a season. Take time to listen for the quiet, yet powerful voice of hope whispering in your ear daily. Hope will eventually take root in the very depths of your heart and grow into a spontaneous, healthy new joy! --Clara Hinton

“Without fear, I will sit quietly for a season in my house of grief until my newfound hope appears.” --Clara Hinton

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” -Psalm 23:1

Be Still and Listen

When life comes crashing down on us, the very last thing we want to do is be still. We want to “fix” the problems. We want to do something to make the pain go away. We want to take action now so that we can prevent things from getting any worse.

Yet…..these are the times when we cannot fix things. We cannot make everything go back to how it was before the crises. There are times when an unexpected illness strikes. A relationship is abruptly ended. A loved one dies. And we are left totally broken.

This is when we need to be still. Be still and listen. Be still and wait for our Comforter. Be still and feel the very presence of our Father wrapping His arms around us. Be still and hear to the voice of the One who truly loves us. Be still and allow the seeds of hope to be nurtured back to life.

Are you in pain today? Is your heart aching with loneliness? Take some time away from the everyday activities of life and simply be still. As you are still, you will receive the much-needed replenishment and hope you need to carry your through the day! Be still and be filled with hope! –C. Hinton

“The ember of hope is always glowing within your soul.” C. Hinton

“Be still and know that I am God.” --Psalm 46:10

Finding the Courage to Mourn

It is a new year, but often the pain of past problems continues to plague your heart and brings lingering grief. Just because the date on the calendar changes does not mean that the pain in your heart will change. So, how do you gain “Hope for the Day”? How can your heart feel comforted?

To mourn is to be comforted. That sounds like something very strange, but there is truth in that teaching. To mourn is to be comforted. Mourning is not enjoyable. Mourning is not fun. Mourning hurts. If we had the choice, mourning would never be a part of our lives. But, to mourn is to be comforted.

When you find the courage to mourn – to really and truly feel your pain and share it – you will begin to notice that changes within your heart begin to take place. When the pain is released it leaves room for hope to begin doing its job. When you “let go” of your pain, you can begin to feel the heavy weight of mourning be lifted. Through your mourning, you will be shown the path to peace.

Be encouraged today! As your tears fall, know that they are being caught by the loving arms of your Savior. Know that you have angels unaware surrounding you to give you comfort. Know that your hope is much larger than your pain! --Clara Hinton

“I don’t understand everything there is to know about mourning, but I do know that I will see a day when the sun will be shining once again!” --Clara Hinton

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

Comfort and Peace Will Arrive!

When the clouds are hanging heavy above us like huge billows of tears ready to fall, we often become afraid that we will never see the light of the bright sunshine again. Loss takes so much away from us that we fear the sun is dying, too.

During the winter of our lives, we live in anticipation of those moments when we will be welcomed into a safe, warm haven and feel secure. We long for our tired bodies to get some rest from the heavy burdens of grief we’ve been carrying, and we yearn for the feelings of loneliness to go away. We want to taste the sweetness of life again, but we fear that the day of joy will never return.

The predictability of the changing seasons becomes part of our hope that we will taste laughter and abundance in our lives. Our season of comfort and peace will arrive, and we will be able to feel the warmth of sunshine comforting our soul. Friends will engage in lively conversation with us, and we will know that we are not alone. There will be a day when the clouds part and the bright, blue sky appears with the sun’s light giving new hope to our soul.

Look to the heavens. Gaze at the stars. Take in a breath of fresh air, and be filled with new hope! --Clara Hinton

“A little bit of hope added to what you’ve already got is a little bit more, and soon that will equal a whole lot of hope!” --Clara Hinton

“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.” --Psalm 62:5