Lament from a Church Pew

"My grief lies all within,

And these external manners of lament

Are merely shadows to the unseen grief

That swells with silence in the tortured soul."

                                                                           ---William Shakespeare.

Okay...I could just let a picture say a thousand words here.  Maybe I should.  This was my experience first hand last Sunday morning in church just as the service was about to begin.  A toddler a few pews ahead of me had a deep lament that needed immediate expressing.  The elderly man in the pew behind me was muttering under his breath, "Take him out...before it gets worse!"  Soon the little one was carried out and peace once again pervaded the sanctuary.  As best I can remember, this is what the contortions on his face looked like.  

As this little guy was being carried out of the service, my thoughts rambled on down the path beyond his momentary sorrow to the rest of us sitting in those pews.  And I wondered if that same facial expression might be seen in more than one heart of my fellow worshipers.  As adults, we have marvelously mastered the art of acting and putting on a front when our innards are contorted in deep pain/grief/sorrow.  Witness the untimely death this week of beloved Hollywood actor Robin Williams due to deep inner heartache.  

(from my sketchbooks)

Grief/sorrow/depression are an all too familiar shared human experience, but interestingly one that we try to avoid or walk around in our encounters with those suffering under it.  I am glad that there is One who hears our every sigh, who captures every tear in a bottle, and who will one day wipe away every tear from the eyes of those who love Him.  He is the One who offers comfort and compassion in the middle of the darkest nights of our lives.  And He is the One who will ultimately bring an end to suffering and injustice in this world.

(from my sketchbooks)

One of my Olympic heroes in college was ice skater Janet Lynn.  Here is a quote of hers about dealing with grief/broken dreams that I pass along to you:

In a speech given at the dedication of the Janet Lynn Ice Arena in her hometown of Rockford, Illinois, in July 2000, Janet boldly proclaimed that,“Through the joys and difficulties, Jesus Christ has been my stability. He has a plan for my life and it certainly included skating. The faith that my family introduced me to through regular church attendance ultimately enabled me to focus on the good and persevere through the unpleasant things. My faith in Christ, knowing that the loving God can take even broken dreams and make something beautiful in His time, has been the hope of my life. This faith was a foundation of my skating.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YvElljzi7rE

Peace, joy, love, and HOPE to you this week!