EVERYONE SUFFERS

Everyone who serves in the military during war time comes home with scars. Some are visible: deformities, missing limbs, or altered gait. Other injuries cannot be seen,but they have devastating effects. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can be present for a lifetime. Seeing brothers and sisters, whom they have worked alongside day after day in very dangerous, stressful, and life-threatening situations, suddenly taken out of battle by the enemy is cause enough to affect someone for a long time. Sometimes, the hardest battle is after the war. Those who pay the ultimate price also leave a painful vacancy in a family. Those in law enforcement, firefighters, and 1st responders, can also be devastated by the experiences they are forced to see regularly. Today, we are being attacked by an unseen enemy, a pandemic like never before experienced, that is taking lives all over the world and many are suffering.

Jesus came to the earth as a human, and as a result, He experienced the same feelings that we do. "Who, being very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross." 2 Philippians 6:8. It is then more than reasonable to believe that when our Creator allows us to go through tragic events and difficult times He is also able to come along side us during the hour of need.

"You don't have to be alone in your hurt. Comfort is yours. Joy is an option. And it's all been made possible by your Savior." Joni Eareckson Tada, author, founder of Joni and Friends, International Disability Center.

Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 46:1, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

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