A hurting world

On my blog list on the right, I have two blogs listed that I have become quite familiar with. I can't even begin to explain (it's a long and random story) how I found out about these blogs, but they are both very meaningful to me. One is the story of a mother who found out the baby she was carrying, her 4th daughter, would never survive outside her womb. (audreycaroline.blogspot.com) The other is the story of a 3 year old girl, named Eve, who was recently diagnosed with Lukemia. I have spent hours in the past few weeks reading about these stories, laughing and crying with these strangers who the only thing I have in common with them, is motherhood.
These stories have changed the way I view this world. They (and many others I have heard recently) have reminded me of the state of this fallen place we live in. I look at people so differently now. I think about the lady in the grocery store whose child is running rampant while she hogs the one freezer door I need. I actually try to think...I have no idea what is going on in this woman's life. What sort of pains she is experiencing right now, they may be none, but I don't know that. It makes me think twice about letting some comment or loud sigh escape my lips.
I remember when I was in the midst of my battle with post-partum depression. Right before I was hospitalized. My in-laws were watching our boys and Chris and I went to Costco to stock up on our monthly groceries. I was walking through that store with severe anxiety, thinking that I wouldn't make it through the line without either having a panic attack or sitting down and bawling right there in the midst of the ginormous toilet paper rolls. I was in so much pain that day, so unaware of anything around me, I might have been "putzing" in front of a freezer door, or blocking someones path, but I was oblivious because my mind was falling apart.
I try to remember that time when I see people now. I know that there are so many hurts in this world that we live in, we just don't know who or where they are. I want to learn how to show Christ's love to these strangers. I want to help them in someway see, that this pain, this financial struggle, this abandonment, whatever they are facing is temporary. Because Jesus has promised that He's preparing a place for us. A place where "He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Rev. 21:4.
Lord, open my eyes to the pain around me. Show me how to reach out and comfort those who you have put in my path who are hurting. Mostly, help me to be obedient to your prompting and act when you call me to act.