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.