I’m not sure if you have ever heard about Elizabeth Elliot. This amazingly god-fearing woman was remarkable. She and her husband set out to minister to a tribe deep in the jungles of Ecuador who had never heard the gospel. The Auca tribe who were not familiar with outsiders killed her husband and three other missionaries that came to minister to them. What Elizabeth did then proves that she was able to love through suffering.

Psalm 34:18. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Not many women are able to contain their emotions, that is what the world believes. But Elizabeth decided to go back and minister to the Auca tribe despite what they did to her husband. It was because of her love and forgiveness that the tribe was able to receive the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today many of us are hurting. We face a biological enemy that has caused deaths all across the world. Many people are experiencing suffering not just from deaths but as a result of the consequences of this deadly disease.

So many are brokenhearted and hurting. Who are you looking to during this time? The leaders of the world don’t have the answer, your husband can’t find a solution to this problem. This is why the psalmist says that the Lord is close.

The one that we can look to is God. He is your comforter. The Lord is drawing closer to you as you experience this time in history that no one has ever chartered before.

There is hope for you yet.

I have never experienced a close death as Elizabeth Elliot did but she was able to find out why the tribe killed her husband and offer forgiveness and grace.

God wants us to love through suffering.

It would have been alright if she had decided to never go back but I believe that God was able to draw close to her, comfort her and impress on her heart the blessing of forgiveness.

God cares about the circumstances that we are facing. He feels the pain that we go through when we are crushed in spirit. When Mary and Martha were crying because of the death of their brother, Jesus wept as well. If you have experienced loss during this time whether it was COVID related or not, know that God cares. He is right there with you, letting you know that you can lean on him.

Just as Elizabeth extended love to the Auca tribe, you can do the same. While Jesus hung on the cross he was the perfect example of love through suffering.

He asked God to forgive them because they didn’t know the gravity of what they did. As you are going through your brokenhearted pilgrimage know that you can extend love to those that have hurt you or crushed your spirit.

And if you have lost someone, God is with you and he will be with you through it all.

If this devotional has encouraged your heart please share it with someone else so it can encourage them also.

Get more Thankful Thursday Encouragement from my fellow blogger friends:

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Nicole @ The Christian Fiction Girl

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

Jessica @ A Baker’s Perspective

Becca @ The Becca Files

Gina @ Stories by Gina

Rebecca @ Rev. Rebecca Writes

Andi @ Radiant Light

Leslie @ Words of Hope

Claudia @ Claudia Moser

Hi there, are you a blogger? Would you like to join us in sharing encouragement from the Word of God every Thursday? Don’t be shy! Contact Trisha or Nicole today! 

P.S. These awesome blog sites have all the latest fiction book reviews if you are somewhat like me and love reading.