Times Like These – Stuart Segall
These words (from Psalm 23:3) and imagery powerfully remind us of hope and guidance, even in the face of pain and devastation caused by events like catastrophic raging wildfires. My mother loved this verse – she had it embroidered in my bedroom. She understood the power of the image and the words of this verse. She often did not have the right words for my painful times as a youth, but she would often sit me down to face the framed words that hung in my room.
Sometimes for me, it takes loss, death, setbacks, and grief to have my attention focused on these timely words. These painful experiences cause us to stop, listen, and hopefully look up.
In times of suffering, when natural disasters like fires bring loss and destruction, not to mention so many other tragedies, can and frankly do feel overwhelming. Yet, this image and verse suggest that amidst the chaos and ruin, there is still a path forward—a path of healing and restoration.
When I see the light at the end of the path, it symbolizes hope, guiding those affected through their hardships toward recovery and renewal. While fires can destroy homes, livelihoods, and natural beauty, the verse reminds us that there is a force greater than the devastation, offering support and leading us toward a brighter future.
It’s a message of resilience, faith, and the enduring spirit that can help people navigate through their darkest times. I am reminded at times like these, that there are no proper human words for such pain, suffering, and grief. Yet His words are timeless and enduring in the mankind classroom called life.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4:“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
Here, we are offered a profound message of empathy and commonality. Not only does it remind us that there is divine comfort available to us in times of affliction, but it also encourages us to extend that same comfort to others. It’s a beautiful reminder of the strength and support that is found in faith and community, especially during difficult times.
Hoping and praying for restoration from these painful times.
Stuart Segall lives about an hour north of Seattle. He has spent most of his adult life counseling, encouraging, inspiring and uplifting others.
Plain Truth Ministries | Box 300 | Pasadena, CA 91129-0300
