My Heart Hurts

**Sit quietly, eyes closed and in silence for one minute before reading.**

    My heart hurts for the parent who is unsure whether his/her baby will survive the next 24 hours. My heart hurts for the one who has watched their child self-inflict painful gashes on their forearms. My heart hurts for the parent who has desperately prayed for their child and watches that child walk towards pain and destruction. My heart hurts for parents whose children have lost hope in anything good.

    My heart hurts and so does God’s. God is not unfamiliar with pain, mockery, betrayal, children who self-inflict, who have lost hope. God is not unfamiliar with the parent who is desperate for their child to be healed, restored and redeemed.

    God is not unfamiliar with the parent’s desperate heart that so loves their child and would do anything for him/her. God is not unfamiliar and He is not far.

    Grace upon grace to you if you are a parent in pain for their child.

**Sit again for as long as is available to you.**