There’s a kind of pain that is persistent and insistent. It never seems to leave.

It’s in your bones and in your brain. It is wearying, soul crushing and despairing.

The pain comes from a bad marriage, a mental illness, a chronic bodily illness or the ongoing crisis of a loved one. The sadness and pain follow you everywhere.

Today, I say a special prayer for those suffering from present continuous pain. May God deliver you. May he provide the comfort that has eluded you. May he raise friends to demonstrate compassion, even when they cannot grasp what you’re going through.

May God provide moments of escape from the pain, so the burden doesn’t destroy you. May he give you the courage to seek help and the mercy to find it.

Amen.