When outdoor playtime results in someone coming back inside crying, I usually ask two questions: “Are you bleeding? Are you broken?” If the answer to both questions is no, then I encourage the kiddo to dust it off; he’ll be ok. Sometimes, though, you can’t just dust it off. Sometimes, he needs a little more TLC, or a bandage, or a trip to the after-hours clinic. When a kid is hurting, he needs to know that someone will fix his booboos and dry his tears.

We aren’t much different as adults, aren’t we? When we feel broken-hearted, grieving, confused, betrayed, hurt … we need a bandage for our spirits. We need to run into the arms of the One who knows just what we need to make it better.

This is the week leading up to Good Friday, and ultimately, Easter Sunday. Up until this point in the Gospel story, the disciples had been with Jesus day in and day out, but they were about to face their biggest challenge yet. The person they had always run to, the One who healed aching bodies and hearts, the One who spoke truth and shared meals with them … would be gone.

How do you find courage when the emotional pain is so bad that it hurts to breathe, cry or even think? How do you dust it off and get back up when your eyes are puffy and your nose is running from oh-so-many tears?

The dark Fridays & Saturdays we experience in life may leave us feeling broken and irreparable, but our burdens are only temporary. Take heart – Sunday is coming, friends!

Paul reminded the believers in Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong,” then he added, “Do everything in love” (I Corinthians 16:13-14). That timeless message still holds meaning for us today. There will be times when we get knocked down, spiritually speaking, but in Christ, we can have courage.