I was greeted at work today by an email from a dear friend from another state. A mutual friend’s mother just passed away. What makes it especially troubling is that her father just passed away less than two weeks ago. My heart was broken. I sat at my desk stunned. A coworker walked into my office and informed me that we have a funeral later this week. I simply said, “Sometimes it never stops.” To which he replied, “Yep, that’s what we’re here for.”
That’s what we’re here for.
I hate that. I hate the pain of this loss and the agony of life. I’m ashamed to say, in times past, I’ve tried to hide from the pain; I’ve tried to ignore it or soothe it. But that path leads to sin. I know that now.
I have no answers. I don’t even have any questions. I only have me and my broken heart and a prayer, “Father, I offer this brokenness to you, to use to advance Your Kingdom.”
And so, I’m walking through today with a limp. A limp of empathy and pain. It hurts like hell. Literally. I think it must be exactly what hell feels like.
I would rather feel this pain than hide from it. I choose to limp with my friend and embrace them through prayer to my Father who can bring new life out of these ashes.
After all, that’s what we’re here for.
Technically Thinking 
Though it may not have been your intention, I love this post as leadership inspiration. A true leader is willing to throw on his hip waders and meet people where they are… in the midst of life’s yuck.
Your limp is a sign to others than you are willing to be authentic and willing to recognize that we must lean on Christ in times of pain. He is more than capable of carrying our weight. I pray for peace for the families of those who have lost their loved ones and for those who limp along side them.