Category: Pain

Good Friday 2026

Ruth Kirk

If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

When there’s no joy,
But only grief;
When there’s no peace,
But only pain;

When there’s no wine,
But only thirst;
When there’s no rest,
But only dread;

When there’s no light,
But only faith;
When there’s no help,
But only hope;

When there’s no choice,
But only death –
Just follow Christ,
And trust in God.

Follow me and be my disciple (Matthew 9:9; NLT).

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).

Trust in God (John 14:1; NLT).

References

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).

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26; NLT).

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe (John 20:29; CSB).

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.

PTSD

Ruth Kirk

PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Mine started in childhood, and has so far been lifelong, chronic and complex. Here is a small, possible coping strategy for dealing with unbidden memories. I saw it in prayer this morning.

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV). 

Whenever I think of my mother
I breathe in the pain.
Holding my breath, I say, “Stop!”
Then I breathe out again.

Whenever I think of her judgements
I breathe in the pain.
Holding my breath, I say, “No!”
Then I breathe out again.

Whenever I think of her fury
I breathe in the pain.
Barring her voice from my mind,
I forgive her again.

So, I don’t take my thoughts any further,
But breathe through the pain,
And wait for the moment to pass,
Then start living again.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10; NIV). 

References

For you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture (Malachi 4:2; NLT).

Those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31; NLT).

 

Human and divine?

Ruth Kirk

Today’s blog follows on from a piece I posted here a couple of days ago. If you haven’t already seen it, you might find it helpful to read that one first: https://wp.me/p45bCr-mDU.

Because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires (2 Peter 1:4; NLT).

You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26; NLT).

Lord,

Are we, too, human
And divine –
Not just here on earth,
But for all time?

We are your siblings –
Children of one God;
Drinking your cup, Lord,
Trusting your staff and rod;

Bearing your grief,
Your dread of facing death;
Sharing your cross, your pain,
Your final breath.

We are your flesh and blood,
Your heart, and soul;
You are our way, our truth, our life,
Our goal.

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

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings (Philippians 3:10; CSB).

I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14; CSB).

References

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).

To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God John 1:12; NLT).

Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother! (Matthew 12:50; NLT).

Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering” (Mark 10:39; NLT).

Rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory (1Peter 4:13; CSB).

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).

Don’t you know that your bodies are a part of Christ’s body? (1 Corinthians 6:15; CSB).

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

Human and divine

Ruth Kirk

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body (Colossians 2:8-9; NLT).

Christ… is the exact likeness of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; NLT).

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; NLT).

Jesus,

You are human
And divine –
Not just here on earth,
But for all time.

The Son of Man, the Christ,
Our Lord, our God –
You are our bread and wine,
Our staff and rod.

We are your joy, your pain,
Your cross, your soul –
You are our way, our truth,
Our life: our goal.

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14; CSB).

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings… Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it (Philippians 3:10;12 CSB).

References:

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).

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You a really are the Son of God!” They exclaimed (Luke 24:52; NLT).

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

Readings:

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11; NLT).

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).

When you struggle

Ruth Kirk

Is not all human life a struggle? (Job 7:1; NLT).

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? (Psalm 13:2; NLT).

When you struggle:
I am near.

When you suffer:
I am here –

Sharing all your
Grief and pain –

Come, be one with me
Again!

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

References

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).

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

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul Genesis 2:7; KJV).

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).

Reading: Philippians 3:8-11.

I worship you

Ruth Kirk

I am so sorry: this blog went out yesterday before I had finished editing it in WordPress. The “Save” and “Post” buttons are very close to each other, and as has happened before, I accidentally touched the wrong one. Here is the final, properly edited version. Later today I hope to post something new to make up for my mistake.
With love and many apologies, from Ruth xxx

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You a really are the Son of God!” They exclaimed (Luke 24:52; NLT).

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

I worship you, Jesus,
My Lord and my God –
Gladly embracing
Your staff, and your rod.

I’ll take up my cross,
And I’ll follow your way –
Giving up selfishness,
Serving, each day.

I’ll love every neighbour,
And stranger, and foe –
Greeting and helping
Wherever I go.

I’ll live in your hands,
And I’ll share in your pain –
Then, trusting your Gospel,
I won’t live in vain.

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).

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NIV).

References

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).

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).

Trials and sorrows

Ruth Kirk

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

You don’t take our pain away,
But call us to transform it into love
For those who suffer, Lord –
And also for ourselves.

You don’t take our tears away,
But ask us to transform them into love
For those in anguish, Lord –
And also for ourselves.

You don’t take our hurt away,
But urge us to transform it into love
For those who hate us, Lord –
And also for ourselves.

You don’t take our dread away,
But help us to transform it into love
For those who wound us, Lord –
And also for ourselves.

Love your enemies (Luke 6:27; NLT).

References

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

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).

Following Christ

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).

These words remind us that following Jesus calls for inner transformation, rather than external devotion. The heart of the gospel is radical, self-giving love, so following Christ means learning to live like him, by:

    • Accepting and bearing our cross as best we can.
    • Radiating light to those around us whenever possible.
    • Loving and helping everyone we encounter, within our limitations.
    • Forgiving those who hurt us, whilst remembering that this can take many years.
    • Speaking the truth in love, whilst taking care of our own boundaries.
    • Defending those who are weaker than ourselves.
    • Sharing, lending, and giving to those in need.

By doing these things as best we can within our current personal circumstances, we can become just a little more like Christ each day.

We will be like him (1 John 3:2; NLT).

We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

References

      • Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
      • Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).
      • Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).
      • Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).
      • Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).
      • Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).
      • The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40; NIV).
      • 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 (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:13-18; NLT.

Don’t try!

Ruth Kirk

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just offer your thinking
To Christ.

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just pour out your troubles
To him.

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just face all your anguish
With Christ.

Don’t try to make yourself pray:
Just share all your burdens
With him.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

Blessed be the LORD! Day after day he bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; CSB).

References

I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you (Hosea 14:8; NLT).

Surely he took up our pain, and bore our suffering (Isaiah 53:4; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

Half the story

Ruth Kirk

I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1; NLT).

I love you –
But that’s only half
The story.

You love me too –
And that’s what makes me
Whole.

For we are one –
In joy, and pain,
And sorrow;

One in mind and body,
Heart,
And soul.

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 (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

References

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

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

Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).