Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Devotionals by J.M. Farro


Bitterness or Joy


“Only the person involved can know his own bitterness or joy - no one else can really share it.” - Proverbs 14:10 TLB


My husband, Joe, and I have known each other for more than 45 years. On our first date, I shared my entire life story with him - the good and the bad - and instead of him being turned away, he actually told me that day that he was going to marry me. As close as we have been all these years, the truth of Proverbs 14:10 (NIV) still rings true: "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy."

When I suffer a loss or a disappointment, as compassionate as my husband is, he cannot fully empathize with me and my pain. To be honest, there have been times when I have been angry with my husband because he couldn't relate to my suffering. Then I would have to remind myself of the Scripture above, and how even he cannot share or feel the depth of my anguish, and it's wrong for me to impose unreasonable expectations upon him.

But there's good news. Hebrews 4:15 (AMP) says: "For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin." You and I have a Savior who "knows exactly how it feels to be human." He "sympathizes and understands" our weaknesses, and He feels our pain. In His earthly existence, He wept human tears, and He suffered the pain of rejection and betrayal, as well as unimaginable injuries and wounds. And as one Bible commentator puts it, "He has taken His human experience with Him into heaven."

One translation of Proverbs 14:10 (ERV) says, "When you are sad, no one else feels the pain; and when you are happy, no one else can really feel the joy." Christ is the exception to this rule. When we are hurting, He feels our pain. When we are joyful, He shares our joy. As followers of Christ, you and I have a Savior who not only feels what we feel, but who sympathizes with us, and wants to comfort us and lift us up. Best of all, He is all-powerful and all-knowing, and He can do for us what no one else can do. Turn to Him. Run to Him. And release your cares and hurts to Him. He's waiting for you!

Prayer: Lord, today I surrender to You all of my disappointments, my losses, my hurts, and my wounds. Heal me, comfort me, and strengthen me as only You can. Vindicate me and right my wrongs. Fill me with a fresh sense of hope. Turn my misery into miracles. And draw me closer to You - and deeper into Your purposes for me - than I have ever been before. Thank You for making Yourself real to me now in healing, comforting, and life-changing ways!

- J. M. Farro

 

go to main Devotionals page
go to Devotionals archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images