Heavenly Father, I praise You for loving me and walking with me when I lost my son. I praise You for helping me to go forward and to forgive when family has verbally attacked me or let me down. I praise You for teaching me to stand and withstand all the times people have made false accusations against me, whether family, friend, or enemies. I praise You for teaching me to allow You to fight my battles instead of forging ahead and hurting others. I praise You for teaching me wisdom and how to deal with evil where I work.
Holy Spirit, Paul was inspired to write: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us. The eager expectation of the creation waits for the appearance of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” [Romans 8:18-21, MEV]
I live daily with the loss of my son and all that could have been with who he was becoming. What keeps me going and drives me is that I know one day I will see Jesus, and I will see Philip. I know one day sorrow, death, pain, hurt, and guilt will no longer be part of my life. I pray daily for the salvation of family and friends that I so desire to see in heaven with me. That they will know You love them and desire to comfort them, free them, and heal them. I have suffered much in my life, but not as much as others, yet as Paul wrote, it will not compare to the glory which will be revealed to me someday. Life is short and fleeting, but eternity is the prize worth struggling for.
The Lord is faithful, especially to me; He will establish me and guard me from the evil one. I have confidence in the Lord concerning my future, both that I do and will do the things He has commanded of me. Now may the Lord direct my heart into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. Now may the Lord of peace himself always give me peace and in every way. The Lord stands with me at all times. Amen. [2 Thess. 3:3-5; 2 Thessalonians 3:16, Paraphrased by me from the MEV bible}