Pain, Suffering & Grief

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This Day’s Thought-Friday

This Day's Thought

Neither power nor wealth, neither education nor ability, neither gifts of creativity nor stores of human energy can insure against the reality that suffering will be our companion at some time during our journey. It is a presence as inseparable from the human condition as food and oxygen are from human life. It is part of our legacy.

Paula Ripple

This Day's Verse

Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

Ecclesiastes 7:11-12
The English Standard Version

This Day's Smile

A good man finds every place he treads upon holy ground; to him the world is God’s temple.

John Smith

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This Day’s Thought-Thursday

This Day's Thought

If the Holy Spirit can take over the subconscious with our consent and cooperation, then we have almighty Power working at the basis of our lives, then we can do anything we ought to do, go anywhere we ought to go, and be anything we ought to be. Life is supplied with a basic adequacy. The conscious mind determines the actions, the unconscious mind determines the reactions; and the reactions are just as important as the actions. Many Christians are Christians in their actions—they don’t lie, steal, commit adultery, or get drunk; but they react badly to what happens to them: they react in anger, bad temper, self-pity, jealousy, and envy. When the depths are upheld by the Holy Spirit, then the reaction is Christian.

E. Stanley Jones

This Day's Verse

O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.

Proverbs 23:26
The New Living Translation

This Day's Reprise

God has not promised skies always blue,
flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God has promised strength for the day,
rest for the labor, light for the way,
grace for the trials, help from above,
unfailing sympathy, undying love.

Annie Johnson Flint

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This Day’s Thought-Friday

This Day's Thought

None knows the weight of another’s burden.

George Herbert

This Day's Verse

“This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself,”

Isaiah 44:24
The New International Version

This Day's Smile

The elements of prayer…
Its ground: God, by whose goodness it springeth in us.
Its use: to turn our will to His will.
Its end: to be made one with Him and like to Him in all things.

Julian of Norwich

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This Day’s Thought-Monday

This Day's Thought

Things have in fact just that value which God sees in them, and no other. To Him, the All Holy and All Wise, the pomps and successes of men and what are sometimes called the “substantial rewards of life” are simply of no worth whatever.

Edward F. Garesché

This Day's Verse

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

Ecclesiastes 7:3
The Living Bible

This Day's Smile

We carry within us the wonders we seek without us.

Thomas Browne

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This Day’s Thought-Friday

This Day's Thought

There is no remembrance more blessed, and nothing more blessed to remember, than suffering overcome in solidarity with God; this is the mystery of suffering.

Søren Kierkegaard

This Day's Verse

The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 28:7
The Revised Standard Version

This Day's Smile

We cannot meet needs by repeating creeds.

Religious Telescope

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This Day’s Thought-Friday

This Day's Thought

If thou can be still and suffer awhile thou shalt without doubt see the help of God come in thy need.

Thomas à Kempis

This Day's Verse

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

John 15:12
The New King James Version

This Day's Smile

The here-and-now is no mere filling of time, but a filling of time with God.

John Foster

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This Day’s Thought-Tuesday

This Day's Thought

When sufferings come upon him man must utter thanks to God, for suffering draws man near unto the Holy One, blessed be He.

Eleazar Ben Jacob, c. 4th century

This Day's Verse

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7
The King James Version

This Day's Reprise

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people move our souls to dance. They awaken us to a new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same again.

Flavia Weedn

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This Day’s Thought-Tuesday

This Day's Thought

Those who accept what they suffer have no suffering of the will, and thus they are in peace.

François Fénelon

This Day's Verse

Praise The LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 106:1
The New International Version

This Day's Reprise

Of the seven deadly sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.

Frederick Buechner

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This Day’s Thought-Wednesday

This Day's Thought

Grief can be your servant, helping you to feel more compassion for others who hurt.

Robert Harold Schuller

This Day's Verse

“Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Psalm 50:14-15
The New King James Version

This Day's Smile

Silence is the fence around wisdom.

Akiva ben Joseph

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This Day’s Thought-Wednesday

This Day's Thought

Holiness appeared to me to be of a sweet, pleasant, charming, serene, calm nature; which brought an inexpressible purity, brightness, peacefulness, and ravishment to the soul. In other words, that it made the soul like a field or garden of God, with all manner of pleasant flowers.

Jonathan Edwards

This Day's Verse

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:4-5
The New King James Version

This Day's Smile

Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.

Thomas Moore

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