Tiny Devotional for Tuesday, 05-14-2024

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the end of joy may be grief.
Proverbs 14:13, NASB


I was an 18-year-old college freshman the first time someone told me the face they wore in public wasn't really the way they felt on the inside. It was a shocking experience, because the public face was an arrogant know-it-all, and I didn't like them. What they revealed to me was someone as lost and afraid as I was,  maybe more; a person I could befriend. 

So, why would someone present laughter, if they are in pain? I think it's mostly because it's easier for the public to deal with laughter; the people who go around telling others how awful they feel don't get a good reception from most people. There MAY be some goodness in that; the things that are painful are usually best dealt with between a few people, or even just two. (A helpful group can be larger when the source of pain is shared among them.)

What can you do, when someone who has been cheerful reveals that they are troubled over a deep matter? Well, what you DON'T do is tell them they are wrong, that they are really okay. That response is designed to ease YOUR pain, not theirs. DON'T try to solve it; you don't know enough to do that.

Here are some good responses when someone shares their pain:

“Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“That sounds like it was really hard for you.”

 Best response: Just listen, and pray for love;

Love is always the best answer.

Peace be on your household.

Comments

  1. Jesus SavesMay 17, 2024 at 5:02 AM

    Indeed, I agree my Brother Pat, to Listen, to Pray and at the end 'Love will always be the key. Praise God my Brother Pat!

    ReplyDelete

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