There are so many people in our church who have cancer right now, who are going through chemo, radiation treatment, and surgeries. As I read their prayer requests I often see the word pain, and the word weary and tired, and the big word discouraged. Another group have back problems that again results in pain, and being incapacitated, and again the discouragement. There are several with COVID, some not so bad, but others quite serious, and there those words are again. A number have Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s, diseases that get progressively worse over time, usually not too fast but steady, always just a little bit worse the pain, the weariness, and the discouragement. And of course there all those with heart problems, and those with memory and mental struggles, and then just plain old age issues.

And there is another whole bunch of people who are healthy, but it is their family members who have cancer, heart attacks, Alzheimer’s, COVID, and MS, and they are going through a whole different kind of pain, sorrow, and discouragement as they watch, help, and pray.

Sometimes when I spend time praying through the prayer letter and other prayer requests, I get so overwhelmed with all the pain, the weariness, and the discouragement. Overwhelmed in the sense of feeling so much concern, sorrow, and empathy that I become weary in my praying, and my emotional gas tank is on empty. And then I feel guilty for taking a break from praying just to catch my breath.

Some people get better, some miraculously so, others die, some expectantly so but others a total shock.

As we all steadily march toward the day we will die with increasing health, pain, weariness, and discouragement issues, we cope, manage, and deal with it. The reason is that we have God’s power working in us because we believe in Jesus and that He loves us.