When Hurt Comes Your Way

It’s sad, but it’s also true. People hurt people. They hurt people with words. They hurt people physically. They hurt people sexually. People just hurt people. They kill. They destroy. And when hurt comes your way most of the time it comes in the most unexpected ways from the most unexpected people in your life. You would like to think that it wouldn’t happen to you, but it does. Life just happens that way. Hurt happens because humanity is fallen and life just hurts sometimes. You want it to change and I guess it can but it can only change with you because you can’t change anyone else. But then again, you are still susceptible to being hurt again.

You say that you won’t make yourself susceptible to being hurt again, but the possibilities of being hurt again or endless. You can try to build barriers and walls. There are emotional walls that you can build, but there are ways that people can figure out to break through those walls. The physical walls that people build to keep others out can be destroyed with armaments and other devices. Let’s face it, you can try to keep yourself from being hurt but it’s virtually impossible because there’s going to be one assault after another against us from the world.

So you decide to isolate yourself. But what good is that going to do for you? Not much. You end up getting very lonely and then the mind itself begins to attack. There’s no safety in one because there are many thoughts. Although you may think that you are safe by yourself you have so many differing feelings that rampage through your brain that sometimes you cannot even tell which way you are going. One day you’re up and the next you’re down. One day you’re going to the right and the next day you’re going to the left. You never know where you’re going, you’re just going there, wherever there is. Then, just when you think you’ve arrived, hurt is there to greet you.

Hurt is everywhere you go. You can run from it, but it is there. You can try to hide from it, but it is there. Trials and tribulations abound because there are people around you let alone yourself and the problems you cause yourself. We live in a fallen world. Hurt is going to come your way no matter what.

My question is this: Is there anything that you can do when you are hurt? Is there any respite when hurt comes your way? Is there truly any hope for us when hurt comes our way?

I believe that there is. Yes, it may have seemed as if I painted a picture that there was not, but it was intentional. Going through difficult times is inevitable. These tough times will happen; it’s just part of life, but there’s hope even in the tough times. Listen to the hope that the psalmist had:

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 43:5, ESV)

Again, the psalmist says:

The LORD sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down….The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. (Psalm 145: 14, 18-19, NASB)

The psalmist’s belief and understanding was that God Himself was his refuge, his rock, his salvation when hurt came his way, when despair was a part of his life, when depression or hard times were present. He leaned on Him and went to God for his comfort. He says:

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. (Psalm 62:5-8, NASB)

When hurt comes your way–and it’s going to come your way–to whom do you turn? If it is anyone other than the Lord, then I would suspect that you will find no true respite, no true refuge, no true rock. In God you will find your stronghold, your shelter, your salvation. In Him you will find the One who will save you and redeem you. In Him you will find peace even when hurt comes your way.

Side by Side

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Saints and sinners, side by side,

Protecting and protesting, side by side,

Some meant for good while others meant for evil, side by side.

Police knew the facts of the perpetrator while the people knew little, side by side.

Some thought they knew the man who was killed when they knew him not, side by side.

Politeness started out well then punkiness ended it all, side by side.

Some went for peace while others went for violence, side by side.

What’s the solution? Is there a solution?

Politicians think that they know while pundits say they don’t, side by side.

Southerners say manners matter while northerners say money matters, side by side.

People out west say that Hollywood matters while Wall Street says Dow Jones does, side by side.

What truly matters is what Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17)

God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, side by side, into the world that He might save us.

Now we can be saved and walk side by side with Him.

(To know how you can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, connect here!)

 

 

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A Friend of Mine…

Robert Damesworth
Robert G. Damesworth – December 28, 1948 – August 24, 2017

A friend of mine, Robert Damesworth, lost his life this past week. It has been a hard loss for his family and for many others who knew him. He was a tough man, a rugged individual who knew what he wanted out of life and pursued it relentlessly. And while pursuing his dreams, he always looked out for the best interests of his family, friends, and others in his community.

I remember driving down the country road in our little town of Leonard, Texas and getting behind him. He was never in a hurry. He was just in a hurry when he wanted to get something done for his family to ensure they had what they needed and wanted. But he taught all of his sons to work hard for what they have as he worked hard for all that he was able to accomplish. He was just that type of person. His hands showed his hard work and that determined look in his eyes showed that he was willing to do whatever it takes to make life happen.

I remember a time that I was pastoring the First Baptist Church of Leonard and I shared a vision to start the First Christian Academy of Leonard. People in town were against the idea. I remember a deacon coming to me after the independent school district superintendent asked him to speak to me about starting a school saying that it would hurt the district. I thought to myself that it probably wouldn’t. Robert came to see me personally about the academy. He was against the idea. He told me upfront that he was against it and did not see the need for it. We discussed it and we agreed to disagree. That was one thing that you could do with Robert and it didn’t change his view of you or his caring for you or even his love for you.

When the church voted to start the school, he made it known that he was against it and voted against the idea. Right after that business meeting, I walked right up to him and asked him to prayerfully consider being a part of the Executive Committee for the academy. He said, “Preacher, did you not see that I voted against it? We’ve agreed to disagree.” I said, “Yes, but the church voted for it and I know that you’ll support it now, so don’t say ‘no’ to me right now, just pray about being a part of the Committee.” A week later, Robert came to me at church and said, “Preacher, I know we don’t agree with the school, but God wants me to be a part of the Executive Committee.” I retorted, “I know He does!” With his sheepish grin, he nodded and shook my hand.

Later, after the academy was started, Robert ended up being one of the main supporters of it. He gave sacrificially to the academy, his grandchildren were part of the academy, and he wanted to see it succeed. He spoke about it to others around town and really built it up to those who were willing to listen to him. And believe me, when Robert spoke, you listened–everyone would. He was that type of person that wherever he was and with whomever he was with others wanted to be a part of his conversations and know him and hear him.

This evening, at the family visitation for Robert, I saw his three sons, Bubba, Bo, and Travis. I spoke with his wife, Peggy. Then I went up to the casket to see my friend, Robert Damesworth. Floods of memories came over me. I remember he and Ms. Peggy taking my wife and me to McKinney and around the country where he grew up. I met his aunt that he lived with for a while when he was growing up. He showed where he would ride his horse and told us of how he would camp out at night if he didn’t make it back by the late evening. I remember the way that he would hug my wife and let her know that he loved her and put up with me! Of course, he always had that smile of his and would chuckle. I remember him telling me about some chickens that Ms. Peggy ordered by mail and how the coyotes at just about every one of them–they were Ms. Peggy’s chickens, just like the llamas were Ms. Peggy’s!

But you could tell that he would do anything for his wife. To Robert, Ms. Peggy was everything for him to have joy in this life. He loved her and it showed. If there was an example of how a long-term marriage should be, Robert and Peggy are that great example. You could see it in their eyes–the love they shared together. He supported her and she supported him; they were partners in everything and everyone could see it. Their three sons had wonderful examples of what parents should be and how to be partners with their wives. Today, they exhibit much of the same characteristics of love for their spouses and children as they saw with their parents. Amazing!

I know that many other words could be said about my friend, Robert. I know that many people who I saw at the visitation time this evening have similar feelings about him. He was a good man. He loved life, his wife, his sons, his grandchildren, his church, and his community. He truly was a friend to many, many people. The line at the funeral home was out the doors and down the street. He wasn’t just well-known, he was well-liked, well-respected, and well-loved.

But there’s one more thing I want to tell you about my friend, Robert. He loved Jesus Christ and sought to love him all the more. He was willing to take a stand for Jesus Christ and tell others about Him and His love for them. He would pray for people. He wasn’t just someone who would say that he would pray for someone, he actually prayed for them if he said it. He was a man of his word, and his word was his bond. When he told me about when he trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I knew then that he truly did. He wouldn’t say something that wasn’t true about himself. He was confident enough to know and to say that he knew Jesus Christ. I could count on his words as solid truth.

I think that today, if Robert could, he would be telling you and me about all that he is seeing today in heaven. But most of all, I think he would be telling you and me about seeing Jesus Christ face-to-face. He would be telling you and me that it’s all true! That Jesus Christ really saves and that he is willing to save you today–at this very moment if only you’d believe Him like he did so many years ago. He would be telling you that the forgiveness of sins is a reality as much as heaven is a reality as much as hell is a reality. And none of us has to go to hell if only we’d believe in Jesus Christ. Robert would then say to us, Jesus Christ truly is only way, the only truth, and the only life, and there is no other way to get to heaven except through Him (cf. John 14:6). Then, finally, I think that my friend, Robert, would urge each of us to trust Jesus Christ–to believe that He died according to the Scriptures, was buried, and was raised again according to the Scriptures (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and if anyone believes in Him and calls out to Him, that he or she would be saved!

A friend of mine…Robert Damesworth…I owe much to him and to his family for the years of encouragement, belief, and good times we have had together. A friend of mine…Robert Damesworth…I thank God that I knew him and that I get to see him again one day in heaven.