I’m sitting outside on the porch during a heavy downpour of rain. I can see the individual raindrops falling, silver life giving tears from heaven. I immediately wondered is God displeased with humanity now? Is he wishing for more kindness and consideration in a changing and confused world? We need to get on our knees and pray for the world and its population.

I’m perched in the swing marveling at the two distinctly different skies I see. When the rain started I looked around and on one side of my neighborhood the sky was a overcast cloudy bowl of melted vanilla ice cream. On the other side the rain was still coming down but the sky was blue and dotted with puffy white clouds. Maybe God was beginning to smile through his tears on the side with the blue sky. Then I thought Father Sky must be experimenting with his pastels on his sky canvas.

I know God is compassionate and he must share human emotions to be a such a source of comfort to us. Bible scripture speaks of God feeling sad and grieving over human suffering. We also read of Jesus crying during his ministry. In John 11:35, scripture simply reads, “Jesus wept.” Jesus was weeping for the death of his friend, Mary and Martha’s brother, Lazarus. Even though Jesus knew he was going to raise Lazarus from death, his weeping demonstrated his compassion and empathy. He could feel the sorrow and suffering of the women’s grief.

In our prayers we can bring our emotions and our fears to God. He’s not threatened by our doubts. He can handle any worries and frustrations. 1 Peter 5:7 reads, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Just reading that verse gives me peace. I’m always heaping my worries on God’s shoulders. I’m always weighing him down and I’m waiting for him to say he needs help with my burdens but he just keeps shouldering them. I just put my cares on him through my prayers and immediately feel a sense of relief.

I learned the power of peace through prayer when Chief died. I’ve always said my prayers faithfully but never felt peace in my prayers after Rosie died. Just too many whys heaped in my prayers. When I finally accepted that her accident was just that, an accident, not an act of God, my faith slowly grew and my prayers began to give me peace again. When Chief died my faith saved me.

I love this verse of scripture from Psalm 103:8, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” Reading this verse we learn that God is compassionate and forgives us when we sin. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The world needs to follow this verse.

God wants us to treat people respectfully and fairly. God wants us to live a life of kindness, justice, and humility. God wants us to be compassionate and righteous. Albert Einstein said, “True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.”

“The Old Testament teaches us that if we humble ourselves and pray, God will hear from heaven and heal our land. And the New Testament assures us that the fervent prayers of righteous men can make a difference.” — David Jeremiah