“Lead me with strong hands”….this song (below) was on the radio as we were driving home from my Mother-in-laws who is extremely sick with terminal cancer. I was driving through the rain while my sick son grasped my hand tightly and my husband perched in the passenger seat sick as a dog who began vomiting at my Mother-in-laws house.

While this song was playing I was realizing the deep need of love we all long for whether that is from parents, spouse, children or God. Sometimes when tragedy hits, sickness takes place or depression sets in, people tend to search in all the wrong places for a love that is fulfilling. I have found when we are at our weakest point this tends to be the only time we find God; or shall I say allow Him to shine down on us. The reality is you can push and push to never turn to God, but sometimes God puts His foot down and brings you directly face to face with Him, nowhere else to turn but to Him and Him alone.

Sometimes we get caught up in life chasing dreams, goals and in the midst of it, forgetting to give back that deep love our children and spouse are so deeply longing for. This songs speaks directly to this matter and not because sometimes we want love and sometimes we lose sight of life, but because this is applicable in every one of us, longing for that deep love and acceptance.

Sometimes we are so sick and down that we can’t face another moment, we need to be taken care of, held and have a strongness surround us to keep us going. This is what I felt on the drive home: My husband weak as could be, vomiting without control, my son with the runniest nose I’ve seen in a LONG time and his poor little ears bothering him. My family needed me, and they needed me to be strong, care for them, love them and help them. So much so that when you can’t make it to the bathroom in time, the walls, floor, shower curtain, bath toys, sink  and décor all need some deep cleaning.

The picture I had on this gloomy drive home was nothing more than the reality that relationships can’t fulfill that deep longing we all have. Whether married or single, children or childless you still want love. We were created for love. We often think, if I just got married, boy would that longing simply disappear. Or, If I just had a baby I would be fulfilling that hole inside of me. This isn’t true! Don’t succumb to those lies. Do we want these things? Or course, but let me explain something that we all need a good reminder of: We long for love, but sometimes receiving these two relationships actually brings a deeper hole within. Not because you haven’t found that love and fulfillment, but because you are searching for a person to satisfy something that only God can satisfy. Our relationships are imperfect but God is perfect. He longs to fill that hole HE placed within each of us! God created families and spouses as an earthly picture of what sacrifice and love should look like. Do not place your hope solely in your spouse or your children as God needs your whole heart! By giving this to God, he will bless you with your earthly relationship!

Listen to this song: Lead-me-with-strong-hands

We all put on a façade that assumes our life is held together quite well. We can smile all day long, but on the inside be yearning for something so much greater. We need to seek for advice and wisdom but not fulfillment within those around us. There is a huge difference between these two concepts. Our real home is in heaven and no hole will be yearning to be filled at that point, but right now while in our earthly home we need to be providing a Godly love for our entire family, friends and acquaintances. Please embrace the love Christ has for you, find it and embrace it. Pour it out on those around you! We know they need it just as much as you do!

Moment of Truth: We can and need to be that support to our families BUT with the support of Christ to develop that through us. Pray for grace within your relationships and delight in your relationships that Christ has blessed you with. Pray that God leads you in a manner to love abundantly, pure, and with Gods love; nothing less.