Tonight one of the senior ladies from my congregation called me. She asked for a ride to the Christmas Eve service, but I actually think she called because she had a fall yesterday and wasn't feeling great. It took me a few moments to realize that she wasn't so much upset about the stiffness from her fall as the trauma of not being able to get up or receive help for an hour and a half. When I prayed for her on the phone and told her how much I loved her, she burst into tears.

I hung up the phone and myself cried and cried. I get that it's community. I get that doing so little for someone, like talking on the phone and praying for them for about three minutes can really fill them up.

The grief is because so little time and love touched a hurting soul so deeply.
The grief is that it means that the chasm of loneliness and the need for comfort and love go very deep - and it is deeper than I could ever fill.
The grief is because I want to. And I don't think I can.

I know Jesus hears my earnest prayer that He touch her spirit and minister to her Himself.

It still hurts that she is hurting.