Webster.com offers up this as one of the definitions of the word deficit, “deficiency in amount or quality.”

Do you every feel like you have a deficit of hope, of grace, of mercy or of love?  Are you feeling deficient or drained?

Have the expectations and standards set for you left you disappointed or discouraged?  Do you feel like you are undeserving of grace or mercy?  Worst of all, do you ever feel like you are unworthy of being loved for who you are?

Now, sometimes these emotions and feelings can come at the expense of too much doing and not enough rest.  These are times where our physical, emotional or spiritual resources are depleted and are in need of recharging.  Some extra sleep and engaging in one of our personal energy charging activities can restore us.

I think there are other times where life throws more at us than we can handle.  It cuts deep into our inner most stores, robbing us beyond depletion and creating a gaping deficit in our souls.  These deficits go deeper than extra sleep or encouragement can cover.

In extreme forms I think these deficits create environments where fear, insecurity and doubt flourish.  This can lead to hopelessness and a seemingly endless cycle driving one deeper into darkness.  A darkness that can become debilitating and disabling.

I am spent some time today wondering about all the pressure that is put on someone who is running a deep deficit in their soul.  How many times does our society tell them to try harder, to work differently, to do more, to have a greater faith, to build up achievements and to just go through the motions in a “fake it until you make it” fashion?  It also seems to me that there are many mass messages out there about giving yourself a little TLC to get back to where you “need to be”.

How do you give yourself tender loving care if you are experiencing a deep gaping deficit?  If one is beyond depleted, and is at a point of desperation and devastation, how can we expect people to care for themselves?  Isn’t that like handing someone in a pit a shovel and telling them to dig their way out?

Should tender loving care really expected to be self administered?  Or is that our role as Jesus said to “love your neighbor as yourself” in Mark 12:31?

Jesus showed us all the most perfect love.  He is the pinnacle provider of tender loving care.

I think we all could use some more of His tender loving care in our lives.

1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Love can cover a multitude of sins.  Many sins.  A host of sins.  All covered by love.  If love can do that, it must be able to make deposits towards recovering from a deficit of the soul.

I know that God is wanting to work through us so that we can be hands and feet to show others love.  I know the Holy Spirit prompts us to do or say things to others.  I also know that I am a selfish and prideful individual, who messes up a lot.  I can not be someone’s savior for them.  I know that I am not capable of paying someone’s deficit in full, I just do not have that in me.  I can guarantee to you that I will fall short somewhere along the way, probably multiple times.

What I can do is make a deposit towards that deficit.

Write a card.  Make a phone call.  Bake a pie.  Send a text.  Post a facebook message.  Offer a prayer.  Give forgiveness.  Show a little grace.  Hang around a little bit long.

All ways to make a deposit into someone’s life.  An offering of love.

Today, I want to make this blog an offering of love, a deposit toward any deficit that you may have.

This is to YOU.  My dear and beloved one YOU know who you YOU are.

I know you are feeling depleted and devastated right now.  I know that many of the offerings of words sent your way feel like pennies tossed into a bottomless wishing well, they just seem to disappear into the darkness of a nothing less void.

I know that you took a risk, you made yourself vulnerable, you poured forth yourself intimately.  In return you found yourself deeply rejected and wounded.  It may feel as though you are completely abandoned and alone, despised by many.

There is One who knows how it feels to be in such a state.  His name is Jesus.  He has never abandoned you.  He is has never walked away.  When you took the risk, He went with you.  When you were hurt, He hurt too.

He loves you.  He loves you more than you could ever imagine.  To Him, you are a priceless masterpiece.  You are a treasure.  When He looks at you He sees your talents, your gifts and the beauty in the your heart.  He sees everything you have ever been and everything you ever will be.  He loves you for it.

When you call out to Him, even from the pit of despair, He hears you.  He crawls right now in the pit with you, so you do not have to be alone in the darkness.  He wants you to know that He loves you.  He is so very proud of you.  Even though you feel as though you have done nothing to make anyone proud, He is proud of you just because YOU are YOU.

He wants to fill in what others have left off.  Where they have fallen short, He wants to fill in.  Where there is a deficit, He wants to pour from His abundance into you.  It may not come immediately and the way you expect, but do not doubt that He is working because in His perfection, He is working in all things.

He does all of this because HE LOVES YOU!  He requires only that you choose to come to Him.  He’ll take it all from there.

Dear and Beloved Lord, 

I know there are so many out there Lord, who find themselves overwhelmed by a deficit.  I ask that You would generously pour out of Your abundance to meet their needs, bringing them back to being whole, overcoming their deficit.  

Lord, please help them to feel the love that You have for them.  As You send them messages of love, of hope, of grace and of mercy, please help them to recognize that they come from You. 

Thank You so very much Lord for loving us, for showering us with Your compassion and Your tender loving care.  

In Jesus’ name, Amen.