Telling it at is to all the Christian faithful and unfaithful alike
Sermon by: ****
- June 23, 2024
Brothers and sisters, look around you. Look at the faces of those beside you. What do you see? I see strength. I see resilience. I see the quiet courage of those who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. We all know hardship. It comes to us all, in different forms and at different times. We may be burdened by illness, loss, financial strain, or the weight of our own mistakes. It feels like the world is pressing down on us, squeezing out the joy and hope that once filled our hearts.
But let us not despair. For even in the darkest valleys, even when the storm rages around us, there is a light. There is a whisper of hope, a promise that whispers, “I am with you.”
The Bible tells us that we are not alone. David, a man who knew hardship, cried out to God in Psalm 23, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
God’s presence is our strength. Just as a shepherd guides his flock, God guides us. He is the shepherd who knows each of us individually, who carries us in his arms through the darkest valleys. He is the one who provides the comfort we need, the strength we lack.
The journey of life is not meant to be easy. It’s meant to be a tapestry woven with both joy and sorrow, success and failure. It’s through our hardships that we learn, grow, and become stronger. We discover the depth of our own resilience, the unwavering love of God, and the strength of the community that surrounds us.
But what about when the weight feels too heavy? When the darkness seems to engulf us?
We are not meant to carry this burden alone. We are called to lean on each other, to support one another, to be a source of strength and comfort in the face of hardship. Just as we can find solace in God’s presence, we can also find solace in the love and support of our community.
Let us remember that hardships are not meant to break us, but to shape us. They are opportunities for growth, for discovering our inner strength, and for deepening our connection with God and with each other.
Let us choose to see these hardships as stepping stones on the path to a brighter future. Let us choose to lean on God’s unwavering love and the support of our community. Let us choose to find strength in the midst of hardship and emerge from the valley stronger, more resilient, and more deeply connected to the Divine.
And as we walk through this journey of life, let us remember the words of the Psalmist: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.”
Amen.
