To my dear friends in PA....
Sermons are inadequate for the current crisis you are in. It is LOVE which will make the difference in your situation. You are loved... and being loved. You are surrounded by prayer and by caring brothers and sisters. You are blessed.
I was thinking that mature Christians find out how dependent they really are when cancer comes or some other crisis. We remember all those "stock answers" we used with other people to bring hope and encouragement to them in their time of pain. We remember shaking our heads in wonder at someone elses' situation, and just pray that they will be comforted in their time of trouble. We look for Bible verses that will somehow speak to the heart of the hurting one, and try our best to present ourselves to them as sympathetic and understanding. .... nothing prepares us for facing our own crisis times.
Where do we find relief in the storm of worry, concern, pain (sometimes), and the whirlwind of confusion that comes from conflicting advice and is sometimes exacerbated by well meaning fellow believers who say "dumb" things. Those "well meaning" words only add to the stress and turmoil that we face. BUT... thank God... we can cover over someone else's attempt at love knowing that the source of that action is the Love of Christ working in their hearts to bring Hope to you. So... our reaction... smile and say "thank you"... knowing that they are feeling as uncomfortable as we are in the exchange. And by saying "thanks"... it brings relief to both of you... the giver and the receiver of words.
Most importantly, in all this discussion about "love" from our fellow sufferers is the Love of God in Christ. If that "love" expressed in faulty humanness brings some measure of comfort (ignoring the "dumb" part)... think how much Love is poured out by our Savior... who is perfect and does not say "dumb" things! Somehow in the background noise of someones words... we hear our Master. HE is speaking through them. Oddly enough we find in Scripture God speaking His message using a donkey!
All this to say, that almost any expression of love and encouragement that we try to give you is tainted by our sinful humanity. But, if you listen close enough... you will find something to give you HOPE IN PENNSYLVANIA !
