“…couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?”-Matthew 26, WEBBE
I think one of the most painful things that often happen to a person undergoing a difficult period in life is the feeling of being alone. Just when one needs a person who can listen, no one is there. Just when one looks for comfort and consolation, there is no shoulder to lean on to. It’s as though the whole world has walked away and turned its back on you.
Why is it that people turn away just when you need them most?
Perhaps some people feel uncomfortable in the company of a loved one who is hurting. Perhaps it feels painful to just be there and feel powerless in helping a friend or a family in need.
But what they must realize is that their mere presence is already a big help to someone who is suffering. Just having someone who can bear to see you cry is a source of strength and hope.
“…couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?” Jesus asked His friends when they kept on sleeping instead of praying and staying with Him before His passion and crucifixion.
Jesus knows just how much it hurts to suffer and have no one. He understands the desolation of those who have been deserted by their closest friends just when they needed them the most.
If you are undergoing a dark time in your life right now, and if you feel you have no one to lean on to, try Jesus. In your darkest and most painful hour, let Him keep watch with you. Let Him stay with you.
Your problems may not immediately go away, but you will have the comfort of knowing He is there. You’d have the solace of knowing that you are not alone.
The thing about hope is that it’s a positive force that shines the most when it’s dark. When everything’s going well, we hardly notice it’s there. But when things go against us, when our dreams fade and when we see no immediate reprieve from our troubles, that’s when hope does its best work for us.
"Where Hope Can Be Found"