Category: Grief

My mind is blank

Ruth Kirk

Last night I woke suddenly from a bad dream, kicking out at someone who was threatening me. As soon as I began to pray, this prayer instantly appeared in my mind. It was as if I had been woken up to hear it. I knew I had to write it down and post it straight away. This prayer is not about me, or my own state of mind, so I quickly realised that it must be for someone else who will read it. I have already prayed for that person.

May your Kingdom come soon…

Lord, my mind is blank,
My heart is numb –
Yet still I pray, and beg:
Your kingdom come.

Lord, my flesh is dust,
My soul is void –
Yet still I pray, and plead:
Your will be done.

Lord, may I rejoice,
Though all seems lost –
Help me to cling to you,
And bear my cross.

…May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NLT).

Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34; NLT). 

Reference

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).

Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 22:8; NLT).

Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NLT).

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15; NLT).

Reading: Habakkuk 3:17-19; NLT.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

Naked prayer

Ruth Kirk

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).

Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely (Psalm 139:4; NIV).

Spend some time with God in silence,
Naked, as when you were born.
God will know if you are grieving,
Hurt, repentant, or forlorn.

Spend some time with God in stillness,
Naked, as you are each day.
God will know if you are struggling,
Or if you have lost your way.

Spend some time with God in private,
Naked, as you always are.
God will know if you are damaged,
Seeing every wound and scar.

Spend some time with God in darkness,
Naked, as the day you’ll die.
God will know your pain and anguish,
And will hear the Spirit’s sigh.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-7; RSV).

References

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity (Zechariah 2:13; NLT).

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

When you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father (Matthew 6:6; CSB).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BES).

The LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought (1 Chronicles 28:9; NLT).

You are the temple of the living God (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

Christ lives within you (Romans 8:10; NLT).

Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).

 

My life

Ruth Kirk

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT). 

I love you, Lord,
Through thick and thin.
I want to serve,
And not to sin;

To turn away
From selfishness,
And comfort others
In distress;

To follow daily,
Bear my cross,
And trust in you
Through gain and loss:

For you’re my Lord,
My God, my Light;
My Bread, my Way,
My Truth, my Life.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

References

Trust in God and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

I am the light of the world (John 8:12; NLT).

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35; NLT).

I am the living bread that came down from heaven (John 6:51; NLT).

 

Thank you

Ruth Kirk

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Thank you for making me;
Thank you for saving me;
Thank you for knowing my heart,
Mind, and prayers.

Thank you for hearing me;
Thank you for guiding me;
Thank you for sharing my sorrows
And cares.

In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

References

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT).

You are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long (Psalm 25:5; NIV).

You know my heart (Jeremiah 12:3; NLT).

You know my thoughts even when I’m far away (Psalm 139:2; NLT).

He hears my voice (Psalm 55:17; NIV).

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake (Psalm 23:3; NIV).

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

 

Hands

Ruth Kirk

I hold you by your right hand – I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you” (Isaiah 41:13; NLT).

My hand in yours
Opens all doors.

Your hand in mine:
Lord, I am thine.

Our hands are fused,
Though they are bruised.

Our hands are one:
Your reign has come.

God’s kingdom is here with you (Luke 17:21; CEV).

The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15; NLT).

References

Keep knocking, and the door will be opened for you (Luke 11:9; ISV).

Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do (Luke 24:39; NLT).

I am thine (Psalm 119:94; KJV).

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5; RSV).

I am numb and greatly bruised (Psalm 38:8; AMP).

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:8-11; NLT).

 

Inner peace

Ruth Kirk

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace] (James 1:3; AMP).

Introduction
Inner peace in the face of life’s many trials and sorrows is so precious, yet so difficult to reach and maintain. Fostering it requires deep devotion to God, to our spiritual development, and to loving others.

Inner peace
Inner peace does not rely on everything going well, or on reaching a point where our lives are calm and sorted. Rather, it means:

  • Having rock-solid faith in God, no matter what happens.
  • Constantly sharing everything with God in prayer, with total honesty.
  • Continuing to trust in God, even when we have lost all hope.
  • Clinging to God, even when we feel completely abandoned, as Jesus did on the cross.
  • Knowing that God will bring good out of all that happens to us, no matter how desperate our situation is.

Developing inner peace
Fortunately, inner peace does not rely solely on our own efforts. Rather, it is a gift from God:

  • I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:27; NLT).

However, it does rely on us having a loving relationship, and a working partnership, with God.

Biblical guidance
Let’s see what guidance the Bible offers about how to develop inner peace through our relationship with God:

  • If you repent [and give up this mistaken attitude of despair and self-pity], then I will restore you [to a state of inner peace] so that you may stand before Me [as My obedient representative] (Jeremiah 15:19; AMP).
  • Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever] (Matthew 5:10; AMP).
  • Glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good (Romans 2:10; AMP).
  • The fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23; AMP).
  • We who believe [that is, we who personally trust and confidently rely on God] enter that rest [so we have His inner peace now because we are confident in our salvation, and assured of His power (Hebrews 4:3; AMP).
  • Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace] (James 1:3; AMP).
  • We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

Conclusion
There can be no better conclusion to this short blog than the words of St. Paul:

  • I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfil His purpose – I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace] (Philippians 4:13; AMP).

References

I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built (Luke 6:47-8; NLT).

Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34; NLT).

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).

Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always] (Colossians 3:15; AMP).

What is impossible for people is possible with God (Luke 18:27; NLT).

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage (Psalm 84:5; NIV).

Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge] (John 14:27; AMP).

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

 

Every morning

Ruth Kirk

Today I am moving to a new home, in a new country!

When I wake up, you are still with me! (Psalm 139:18; NLT).

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV). 

Every morning, when I wake,
No matter what the day may bring,
I lift my voice to you, and sing,
My God, in celebration.

Every morning, when I wake,
However desolate my way,
I give my heart to you, and pray
With every tribe and nation.

Every morning, when I wake,
No matter if I’m well, or ill,
I join my life to yours, for still
I’m one with all creation.

Every morning, when I wake,
Whatever comes from you, on high,
I bind my soul to yours, and sigh
In silent adoration.

Let all the earth be silent in God’s presence (Habakkuk 2:20; TIB).

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O LORD, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things (1 Chronicles 29:11; NLT).

References

YHWH’S favor is not exhausted, nor has God’s compassion failed. They rise up anew each morning, so great is God’s faithfulness. “YHWH is all I have,” I cry. “so I will wait in patience” (Lamentations 3:22-4; TIB).

The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult (Matthew 7:14; NLT).

I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD! (Job 1:21; NLT).

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:27-8; RSV).

 

Spiritual growth

Ruth Kirk

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul (Deuteronomy 13:3; NLT).

God sends good times and bad times into our lives, in order to help us grow in faith.

Early in life, our understanding of God is usually quite limited. As we face and come through each test, our faith is often challenged, and sometimes lost entirely. This happens when we cannot square what we have experienced with our limited, or even mistaken, understanding of God.

Slowly and painfully, we learn to accept what has happened, and to come to terms with it. In response to this inner emotional, psychological and spiritual process, our faith may change, broaden and deepen. Lost faith can slowly be rebuilt, though often with very different ways of understanding God than those we had previously.

This healing process can happen repeatedly during our lifetime, moving our faith and understanding forward stage by stage, as we grow towards full maturity. Hopefully, by the time we reach death we will have fulfilled our potential for spiritual growth. This is what God wants for us all, and fortunately we never have to go through it alone, even when, like Jesus on the cross, we feel as if God has abandoned us.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God (Isaiah 43:2-3; NLT).

References

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8; NLT).

When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow (James 1:3; NLT).

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him (Colossians 3:10; NLT).

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness (Colossians 2:7; NLT).

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

No test has overtaken you but what is common to all people. You can be confident that God is faithful and will not let you be tested beyond your means. And with any trial God will provide you with a way out of it, as well as the strength to bear the trial (1 Corinthians 10:13; TIB).

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

 

Beyond all pain

Ruth Kirk

The Most High will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death, mourning, crying and pain will be no more, for the old order has fallen (Revelation 21:4; TIB). 

Beyond all pain,
And death, and night,

Beyond all distance,
Depth, and height,

Beyond all worlds,
All time, and space:

We’ll see our Saviour –
Face to face.

I will see you face to face and be satisfied (Psalm 17:15; NLT).

Now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; NIV).

References

God looks down from heaven on the entire human race (Psalm 53:2; NLT). 

The city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light (Revelation 21:23; NLT).

Its gates will never be closed at the end of the day because there is no night there (Revelation 21:25; NLT).

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts” (Isaiah 57:15; NLT).

Longing

Ruth Kirk

The Lord longs to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18; NIV).

You long to heal us
And forgive,
To make us new
So we may live.

You ache to help us,
And to guide,
So we can shelter
At your side.

You thirst for oneness
With us all,
So you can save us
When we fall.

You wait for us
To turn to you,
And ask your help
With all we do.

He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy (Psalm 28:7; NLT). 

References

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10; NIV).

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

The LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me (John 17:21; NLT).