There are times in life that we ourselves, or those we know, go through unbearably painful times. When we first hear of the situation, it takes our breath away. It makes every hair on our body stand up on edge. We feel like our legs are turning to rubber & we pray they hold us up.
I weep. I pray. I search for words. But they have to be the right words to say. And I continue to search. I implore God to give me the words. And none come. For days. Days pass & I still have not addressed my thoughts or feelings or love.
It is then that two words come to mind & I realize even in the absence of words, truth has broken through. I hear in the recesses & depths of my heart…..
Only God.
Only God can bring a person comfort.
Only God can hold them together.
Only God can lessen the pain. (I am not sure that the pain goes away totally.)
Only God, by & through His Spirit, will whisper the words into a heart & soul that need to heard.
Only God.
And it is times like this that I truly appreciate that I have God to hold onto.
It is at those very times that we must still find it in us to praise our God. Never for what has happened but for Who He is. May we not give the enemy any reason to think that he has ever triumphed over us. The verse that keeps coming through my head is this:
“But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God, my Savior; my God will hear. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.” (Micah 7:7, 8 NIV)
We may be down but NOT FOR THE COUNT!
May we be like Habakkuk & say……
“Though the fig tree does not bud & there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails & the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, YET I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Hab. 3:17, 18).
The enemy would love to convince us that life is done. Nothing good will ever come into our lives again. That we will never have joy again. That we will crumble under the weight of our burden.
Not true!
Yes, the weight is heavy. But our Lord is greater still. And He will be there to hold us together, to hold us steady. We already have the anchor. It is that anchor – hope – hope in our God, that will keep us firm & secure.
May we come before the throne of our God, the only place where we find mercy. The only place where life will ever make sense.
