Praising through Pain

Just recently my family in particular my brother has been put through a great deal of pain. His pain is emotional, its on the inside where many cannot see it. His pain is because of love or the absence of a love he once knew, his pain is because of a battle he is fighting for the one he loves the most, the one that gave him a new hope, the one that gave him the title of "daddy".

Sitting at a park watching my brother have tears stream down his face, it became a reality to me that he hurts. He tries to cover it, he tries to deny it but he is hurting. In this time with him i felt the holy spirit start to move on my heart about once again our lost and dying world and the only way i knew to respond was with tears. He and I have our ups and downs, our fights and times of joy but never before have i seen this hurt in his eyes. He doesnt know Jesus but in faith i speak that he will.

See all over the place, all over our city there are hearts... hearts that are broken, hearts that are hard, hearts that are searching and hearts that are bleeding. Yes these are all negative and ofcourse there are the hearts that are happy and rejoicing the hearts that are whole and that are found... My heart is rejoicing, my heart is to how i would put it to some degree found. Found by the one who saves, the one who gives life, the one who grants freedom. My brother's heart is broken, its hard and its searching.

See i realised that in times of Pain i made a decision 4 years ago to Praise, to Praise in the good and Praise in the bad. To Praise on the mountain and to Praise in the valley, regardless of where life took /takes me i committed to Praising nevertheless. Today with my brother opened my eyes to the fact that in the valley he doesnt know yet what it means to praise. He doesnt know the love and comfort of Jesus or the promises that he has spoken.

Right now he is struggling and i feel for him but then my mind wonders and thinks about those that are situations worse, situations that have a higher sense of urgency the situations that come down to life or death. Jesus this morning really imparted something in my heart about Praise and about urgency, about my actions being the difference between someone living or someone dying, someone in eternity or someone in hell. As i write this my eyes well up with tears because the sad reality is that right now half of my family and a lot of my friends fall in the second category. Again with faith i declare that they know the Lord.

This morning i saw raw passion in my brothers expressions, passion about fighting for his daughter, fighting for the little girl that once again gave him a reason to stay, she was a godsend, she helped him realise that in some way he was needed, he was wanted, he was loved. In this same i think that God is fighting. He's fighting for his sons and daughters fighting for the little girls and boys that need a reason to stay, a reason to live, a reason to praise! He is looking for the chance to drop that purpose that plan into hearts all over the world.

Whoever reads this, please be encouraged. Fight and keep fighting. Dont give up when the world tells you its over. Dont stop Praising because a circumstance feels greater then you can handle. If you know God be the soldier that stands in his army and stands firm. Be the soldier that is passionate, that is willing to lay it all down to be obedient to our King. Be a soldier that others can aspire to. Be a soldier that keeps waiting on the Lord!

If you dont know god? Join the army. Come and ask him to be with you, to live with you, to show you to love as he does. To show you what life to the fullest can be. To show you what it means to Praise in the valley and on the mountain. To show you that his love is unfailing and that it is always available. Rest in his embrace please i plead with you. Let him dry your tears and rebirth the nightmares as dreams. His arms never close they just wait open waiting for the day you decide to run to him. He is the greatest love you will ever know, the best friend you will ever have, the most popular dad you could ever dream for, all you have to do is say yes and open your heart and open your arms for him to have the chance to hold you.

I love God. I love what God is doing in me right now and i love what he is doing all over the world, all over australia, all over our city! I love that this is a new day ready for new things, ready for new challenges and opportunities. Dont let it pass you by. Life on earth is short, limited, borrowed time... do the most with it you can, live it to the fullest, treasure it because its so precious! LIVE LIVE LIVE. Dont just exsist! LIVE. please the world needs you and your smile.

Big Love x