I was looking for a way to comfort a friend of mine in tremendous pain right now...in my search, I came across one of my favorite comfort songs of all time. It was also one of my mom's favorites. Don Moen's worship songs are always so incredibly anointed and relevant.
So for you, Laury, I am praying. And for anyone else hurting, please consider allowing this song recorded live minister to your soul:
Sandra was having one of those days. Call it hormones, call it stress, but she had hit rock bottom in a matter of minutes. That’s when the attack from the enemy started inside her mind. I’m so ugly. I’m fat. How could I let myself get this way? She cried out in despair about what a horrible mother she was. "I’m a mess!" The refrigerator began to call her name.
**
John was so tired of his job. It was a major struggle just to walk into his office everyday. Things at home weren’t exactly peachy either. No one seems to want to do their jobs. He wanted to give up. Just get in a car and drive far, far away. I need to think. I need a plan. If I could just have a plan. No sooner had another workday gone by than the couch and the television began to call his name.
**
God, I’ve prayed and prayed. I raised her well. I did what you told me to. Why is she rebelling against me this way? Jan was beside herself with turmoil over her daughter Maddie’s behavior. She said she hated me, God. She’s just so angry. Even in the middle of crying out to God, despair began to consume Jan, and the bed began to call her name.
**
If you were to write a short paragraph about your life during a dark time, what would it say? Stress comes in small or large packages, arriving on its own schedule. Grief comes and lingers, manifesting itself in various forms. Strongholds use their arms to grab us when we least expect it. Big pain, little pain, in-between pain. No matter, it hurts.
As I read a familiar Scripture this weekend, something new occurred to me. HE is the God of ALL comfort. He comforts us in ALL our troubles. ALL.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles…” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4a
I quote the second half of that verse all the time to help myself in dark times. I think, I’ll have compassion to share with others, Lord, because of the comfort I’ve received from You. Every bit of that thought process is true, and it’s good to remember, but PLEASE don’t ignore the first part.
No other god in this world can give us the comfort we need in our troubles. Not the pantry, not the television, not a plan, not an escape, not a relationship, not a warm bath or a bottle of brandy…NONE of it can offer us the comfort for which our hearts were designed. HE is the God of ALL comfort.
Not only is He the God of all comfort. He also comforts us in ALL our troubles. Big ones, little ones, in-between ones. We tend to compare, but as I stated above, pain hurts no matter what kind it is. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be called pain. Don’t hesitate to turn to Him for whatever need you have. He’s compassionate, and He will always tell you the Truth in love. He may even provide some of the outlets above, or a friend or whatever as part of the means of doing so. But He is a jealous God, and He certainly won’t share you with those things if we begin to rely too heavily on them to meet our needs.
So, all in all, let Him be your all. Surrender all of your pain. Don’t leave a droplet of it behind for the enemy to use against you. Take off all the band-aids and patches, and expose the wounds to Him. He will keep His promises. His name is Comfort-All.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits-Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion…” Psalm 103:2-4
The LORD your God is with you. He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)
The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Worshipful song...reminding us that HE is "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong
Several years ago, I had the privilege of being one of the team leaders for a women's retreat our church was sponsoring. It was during an extremely difficult season of my life, but it was a commitment I began before that time hit. As the person directing and leading the dramas and tech, it was a hectic weekend, though I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
Everything went beyond well. The Lord showed His favor on the event. The speaker was amazing, and on the Sunday morning of the retreat, revival broke out. The retreat committee leaders served communion to the women attending. So while worship was happening, we stood in a line across the front, a bowl of bread and a cup of juice to dip the bread in. Women were on their knees, some were weeping, many raising both of their hands in complete surrender to the Lord. This is not a normal worship service at my church, so it was like nothing I'd ever experienced. As they would walk up to one of us to take the communion, we would say to them "His body was broken for you. His blood was shed for you. Eat and drink, Sister." So many were crying, a few would even ask for prayer or hold onto our shoulders.
About halfway through, I could not hold the tears back, I started to get really cold and tremble. I was overwhelmed with the brokenness in the room, enveloped in my own neediness as well. Lord, not now, please calm me down. I need to be strong for these women, I thought. I was begging Him to hold the tears back and "keep me together," at least until I wasn't holding a basket of bread in one hand and a juice cup in the other. My limbs began to get very weak, the tears streamed like an overflowing river down my face, and I was about ready to excuse myself.
Then a precious sister in Christ, one I do not know or even remember to this day, walked up to me, I thought to take communion. Instead, she slid in behind me and held up my arms. It freaked me out a little bit. It was awkward. Felt weird and embarrassing. Then she said, "Don't fight it. Just lean on me and let me hold you up until you're stronger." I did, and the streams of tears began to flow even heavier. As I stood there trembling, feeling more vulnerable than I'd ever felt in my life, I was humbled by the awesomeness of the Lord. Of course I wondered where my Kleenex angel was too, but then I got serious again. He did not answer my prayer in a way that I expected, but He was there, and in the form of a sister who listened to His prompting.
That's the power of God, my friends. He's "there" for us. "There" is anywhere we think He's absent. "There" is anywhere we need Him to be. If we will accept His ways, His methods for being there, then He will be. "There" is here. Right now. He's not "way up there." He is here.
Psalm 61:1-4:"Hear my cry, O God;listen to my prayer.From the ends of the earth I call to You,I call as my heart grows faint;lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.For You have been my refuge,a strong tower against the foe.i long to dwell in Your tent foreverand take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.Selah"
"God IS our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble.The LORD Almighty IS WITH US;the God of Jacob is our fortress.SelahBe still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.The LORD Almighty IS with us;the God of Jacob IS our fortress.Selah"
