Turning out a post that has been in my drafts folder.
We are hurting. We are tired. We live in a broken world. Losses incalculable. In our distress, where do we go? This morning has been full of distress, already. I need not look to far to see the hurt. A friend’s sister lost her husband. A friend’s dad is entering hospice. A friend is walking through cancer treatment with a friend. A friend lost her dad recently. Surgeries. Pain. We hurt. We cry out.
If I was able to sit with any of them right now, my first response would be to apologize that life is so hard. For their loss. It’s an interesting thing that happens when we sit with someone in pain. It can make us uncomfortable. Our brains race to say something or do something helpful.
We can take a page from Job’s friends WHEN THEY SIT WITH HIM. As we study a book like Job, it is incredibly important to make sure we know who is speaking. Critical, in fact, because the Lord chastises each friend for their words to Job. But the sitting? Approved.
As grief continues, I know for me, I can settle into some poor habits. As I move past the sitting, I can make some leaps in my thinking that do not align with the word of God. Practicing righteousness means continuing to draw back to the source.
I’m staring at my wall right now where light is reflecting in the colors of rainbows. I’m transfixed. I notice as I am staring at the wall, the grim near the light switch. A picture hung a little crooked. That painting was done together with my Ella. There is a quote hung on this wall by Corrie ten Boom, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” I want to teach myself to look for the good, not always spot the bad first.
Let’s look at Psalm 107. Notice the opening. A good pattern for us.
Psalms 107:1-3
”Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary And gathered from the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.“
https://bible.com/bible/100/psa.107.1-3.NASB1995
He is good. His lovingkindness is everlasting. We proclaim this out loud and to each other. We are the redeemed. We are saved. We are gathered. Whatever comes, this is who we are in Christ. This remains unchanged no matter what we face today. And declaring truth aloud is just as important to me as knowing the words of truth.
A song by Chris Tomlin, Satisfied, reminds us of this truth.
I count my blessings one by one, your goodness in my life, how could I ask for more, in you, I’m satisfied. If you are all I have I know that I will find that you are all I need in you I’m satisfied.
In grief, we find there are many unanswered questions. It is very clear that God can handle our questions and cries. “If you are all I have, I know I will find that you are all I need.” That struck me when I heard it yesterday and it still does today.
Four stanzas in Psalm 107 begin with Israel’s wandering heart. Running from God. Disobeying God. When they finally were at the end of their rope, when there was no other option, when they realized that God was all they had:
Vs 6 ”Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses.
Vs. 13 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.
Vs. 19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.
Vs. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses.“
Psalms 107:6, 13, 19, 28 NASB1995
They cried. And He delivered them. Saved them. Brought them out of their distresses. God turned His face toward them. When we go through the hard, maybe it’s just me, but I want a response right away. This Psalm reminds me that He always responds. He heard them and saved. Following is God’s response to each of their cries.
”Vs. 7 He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city.
V.14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death And broke their bands apart.
Vs. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
Vs 29 He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed.“
Psalms 107:7, 14, 20, 29 NASB1995
In the valleys of grief, suffering, sin (let’s be honest there are those times as well) we cry. We pray for rescue. Separating the stanzas like this helps me see that the cry is answered. Let me remind my soul, my cries are answered.
Paul, in Ephesians 6:10 tells us, “ Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” Continue to reframe your life according to the word of God. The battle rages on in our hearts, may God’s word bring peace in the midst of suffering and circumstances that are crushing.
I’ll finish with this today.
Saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Revelation 5:12-13 NASB
We serve a Savior who suffered. Let’s not forget that.
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