Ripples — We never know how far they reach.
Tragedy strikes like a rock thrown into the water. It disrupts the calm. It causes movement and the ripples begin. One disruption causes a multitude of reactions over and over.
The Lord continues to work mightily in the lives of those who love Him and He reaches others through our pain. One drop of suffering, comfort, and healing can create a ripple effect larger than we can fathom. I’ve received countless messages sharing stories of comfort in the midst of intense suffering.
These are opportunities to pray over others, but also a time to reflect on God’s glory. He is always at work in our lives. No matter what we endure, the Lord has endured even more. He understands our pain. He is not far off, ever.
With permission from the writer, I am sharing one of these incredible stories. These ripple effects are continually expanding.
“So I know we don’t know each other really all that well, but today I got to have a really cool experience and I thought I might share. I was taking a train from Edinburgh to Inverness (I’m living in the UK currently), and the woman who got on the train and sat across from me seemed to be having a rough day. Soon into the trip she started crying. So I asked her if she was okay and she said she’d lost her husband a few days ago and this was her first time traveling without him. I asked if I could pray for her and she said yes. So I was able to pray with her!
I definitely would not have had the courage to reach out to her if it weren’t for the things you’ve shared about your own loss. Definitely during the whole transaction I was praying for God’s guidance and subtly trying to recall everything you’ve said and what you’ve shared into such a tragic situation.
I hope I was able to show this woman a little bit of God’s love and just wanted to say thank you for sharing your heart. Your openness has inadvertently given some random girl you barely know the confidence to reach out to a newly widowed woman and just offer her prayer for healing. Because for those of us who have never experienced a serious loss in our lives, death is a terrifying thing. A year ago, I would have just mumbled awkwardly, ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ and buried my nose in my phone. But you made it real. Human. You made mourning not a mystery. And this might seem random and out of the blue, but I just felt it on my heart to share.
I hope you have a blessed day. ❤️”
This is just ONE example of two lives changed and impacted by God’s story.
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” —Psalm 34:18
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