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"Long lay the world, in sin and ever pining, til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices..."~O Holy Night
Rejoice. To some it may mean jumping up and down in elated happiness. Sometimes the events of this world definitely make us want to do that.
And sometimes they don't.
How are we to "rejoice always" as 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to do, when our world has been shaken and we don't understand why? When we are so broken down and weary that our tears are empty?
We cry out to God for help, for comfort, for peace. I imagine Him putting one of His enormous, loving hands on our shoulder and holding us with the other, carrying us through these hellish nightmares and crying with us because sin has gotten such a hold on this world.
Is this what the people of Israel did when they looked for a Savior to come in with a ferocious tenacity to conquer the evil Romans that enslaved them and subjected their family members and friends to needlessly painful deaths? Did they cry out to God?
Did John the Baptist's disciples feel joyful when their leader was jailed and beheaded when all he did was live a life dedicated to pointing people to Jesus? Did they cry out to God?
I imagine Mary cried out with a gut wrenching plead to God, as only a mother can, at the foot of the cross when she watched her Son suffer a merciless, painful death when she thought He was supposed to be the Chosen One.
La Pieta by Michelangelo-St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
How do we respond in faithful obedience and be joyful, Lord? Especially when intense sadness and confusion are the only feelings we have sometimes.
The only response I know is to go to His Word and cling to what I know:
He hears our cries, even when we don't know why to say-
"In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From His Temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears." Ps 18:6
"For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Rom 8:26
He knows pain, so we can be honest with Him about our pain and doubts, because He knows what our hearts are going through anyway-
"Oh Lord, You have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar." Ps 139:1-2
"Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?" Ps 139:7
One day we won't be weary because we will see that He has made everything right.
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." 1 Pet 5:10
The sun is going to rise again today, and the world will go on as normal whether we are in pain or not. But our God sees us, hears us and responds to us. And He has made for us an eternity with Him. This I know, and cling to.
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Ps 147:3
"He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be any mourning, nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:4
Our emotions, feelings and circumstances can never change the truth about God's love for us, beginning with one holy night long ago, when Jesus put on humanity and came to our world.
And therefore we rejoice.
Thank you for this heartfelt note. My daughter, the mother of my 3 young Grandchildren, is living with and fighting through brain cancer. I try to keep my eyes and hope in Jesus daily but sometimes it is overwhelming wondering if I am being the best Mom to her right now or even wondering if my prayers are “right”? I am so thankful my dear friend sent this to me. It is exactly what I needed and will share your beautiful words of encouragement and truth. May God bless you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. It is so hard to watch our kids suffer. I agree-you are doing the best you can do and the Lord knows. May He wrap His arms around you and your daughter today.
DeleteThank you friend for always encouraging us to keep our eyes on Jesus!
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