by Paula Davis

Are nights difficult for you? Do you spend hours lying awake worrying about things that are actually out of your control? The Lord longs to be there at those times. He is always waiting to ease the pain and take away the loneliness and fear, even in the darkest hour of the night. But in order for him to do that, we must be silent before him and empty ourselves of any distractions that may keep us from him. We must be sure that our hearts and minds are pure, clear of any sin—even the sin of self-pity. We cannot allow our minds to get caught up in the “what-ifs” and “if-onlys,” but must allow him to meet every need. And he always does. So often the times when the hurt seems unbearable and it feels we cannot go on alone are when his presence is the most real—his arms are felt wrapping around us, physically holding and comforting, easing the pain.