Devotionals for the Heart: When you wonder if God cares about your pain

Does God Know Our Pain?
A devotional by Terry Overton

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”—Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

The bright rays of sunshine streaming through my kitchen window invited me to step outside onto my porch, hoping for the feel of an early spring.

But the chill in the air that greeted me sent a stark reminder that winter remained. There were no blooms, buds, or green leaves emerging on the trees. I glanced down at the brown branch of a rose bush with no bud. It was fitting that the scene in my garden matched my sense of being in the pit. This experience made me think, “Does God not see our sorrow?”

I glanced at the rose bush's lower limbs, and there it was—a tiny leaf struggling to push through and open to the sunlight. My own prayers asked for the same sense of hope in the future. I, too, struggle at times to stretch out my arms with gladness, knowing of God's love. Watching a loved one struggle with an untreatable health condition, knowing this was a long goodbye of sorts, I needed God's help desperately. Does He know my pain?

The Bible says in Psalm 56:8 (ESV), “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?”

A thought raced through my mind: “Of course He knows. He knows all.” God knows the roses wither and die, but He restores them in the spring. He knows they will die before they do, and He knows when they will bloom again. A sense of peace overcame my soul. It is all in His hands. He not only knows our sorrows, but He will provide help.

The Bible says in Psalm 34:18 (ESV), “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Listening to the high-pitched chirps of tiny finches flittering through the brittle brown limbs of a nearby tree, I realized what a gift He had given me. I have the gift of seeing His handiwork, of witnessing His blessings all around me, and of time to share with my loved one who is still here with me. He had given me the gift of hope and the gift of joy in the moment as I stood by the rose bush.

The Bible says in Psalm 126:5 (ESV), “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!”

Taking a deep breath, I returned to my kitchen with a peaceful heart and hopeful thoughts. Now, I was ready to meet the day that awaited me. I could not anticipate how I would be needed, but I knew I would be able to meet the challenges that would come my way. The strength of my heart had been restored.

The Bible says in Job 14:7-9 (ESV), “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.”

The sight of the emerging tiny green leaf in the cold air was a message. It was a reminder that spring will arrive just on time. God sent a powerful reminder to me. Pain is not the end. Pain is the reminder. God will provide us with strength, peace, and hope.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for knowing my pain and helping me understand that pain is not the absence of joy. I know two things—joy and sadness—can exist in my heart, but You provide peace and hope to sustain me through it all. Thank you, Lord!

In the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, I pray.

Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: "He's Concerned" by CeCe Winans. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Here with You” by Donnie McClurkin. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology. 

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

Terry’s background in teaching adults and children shine through her stories that often include a character with educational or learning challenges. Her Christmas series, The Oddball Ornaments, features a box of misfit ornaments who first learn the meaning of Christmas and then discover the meaning of forgiveness. In The Underground Book Readers series, one of the main characters is on the autism spectrum yet is one of the leaders of the group of teens. Book one of a new series, The Messiah Brigade, features an awkward middle school nerd who helps his school turn around a bully gang of kids. Adoption and family issues are the focus of her new book, Charlotte McMaster and the Messenger Angel.

Terry lives in Texas and enjoys reading, taking pictures for devotional posts on social media, visiting with her family, paying golf, and writing.

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Connect with Terry:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terry.overton.71653
Author Website: https://www.authorterryoverton.com/
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/overtont