People Are Hurting

Do you see the unopened can in this photo?
I didn't see it at first.
All I saw was the huge white pumpkin!
That's how it is with people, too.
We don't always see what's almost hidden underneath.
The hurt that they are trying to hide isn't obvious to us.
We only see what they do, look like, or see what they have.
Who they really are, escapes our notice.

People are craving the love of God today.
They might not know it but they are!
What they need escapes their notice.
If there is someone in your life that irritates you exceedingly,
it could be that they are really, really hurting.
It could be that they need some love.

But maybe *you* are the one who is hurting today.
Maybe you've hidden it so well that you don't even know that the pain is there!
If I could give you a smile or a hug, I would.
But I can't, so I write down words as I pray.

Words.
Words can be powerful.
God *is* powerful.
Maybe the two together can make you feel loved.
Encouragement and acceptance-
just might be able to flow from this screen to you.

Whoever you are, God loves and cares about the real you;
the you that nobody seems to really see.
He cares about your pain and I do, too.
Understanding and patience dwells in our God.
May it flow from me to you- right now.