Those Things Between

What are those myriad things that wash against our souls, tidal waves lapping, churning, that retreat only to return again? Crests that are braved leaving us weathered and worn before the relief of calm, sun’s piercing light scattering the grey, blowing the gale away?

What when those tides are words and looks, voice inflections, or body speaking differently than lips? What of hurts buried deep, covertly eroding strength while unresolved things sit like festering infections begging for light and air to heal? Is it you, is it me, or is it things that divide us?

How do we heal our individual hurts so that we do not erect barriers, separate, disconnect ourselves from each other, from those we love the best? Or them who might have hurt us the most? How to walk the road together, taking down the barriers, brick by brick, to bring back the joy known before tenacious pain? How to keep the tidal waves at bay so no further abutments are built? How to live well in a world full of crashing waves and tumultuous storms, things bent on defeat? Let us dwell not on the storm, but look beyond to help and heal, and keep walking together. Let not the things isolate us from one another.

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LORD, help us have the strength to stand, the wisdom to navigate the changing tides of one another’s behavior, Your Spirit’s guidance to direct our hearts and emotions in Love, and the patience to build connection. May we build up, not diminish others; see clearly Your will how we are to respond; wait on You before rushing ahead to “fix things” on our own; and remember always to call upon You. Gentle us, LORD. Please start here with me. Thank You for knowing those things that are between me and others…things I must repent of or that I need to forgive. Heal our hurts, LORD, and heal the hurts of all the weary souls around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ephesians 4:32 NKJV “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Jeremiah 7:23 “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’”

Hebrews 12:14-15 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled”

Psalms 107:29 “He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.”