My suffering appeared hopeless. Every circumstance pointed to endless hardship, permanent challenges, a life of tribulation. It felt Job-like, impacting health, finances, family, work and home tasks, relationships. My husband and I were now walking through years of long-suffering affliction and endless pain.
And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me (Job 30:17 ESV).
YET.
Habakkuk’s words popped off the page as the Spirit illuminated God’s Word to my pain-filled heart:
Although I saw no end in sight, God’s grace-filled plan for me was in the power of YET.
Let’s interrupt suffering with what I call a “praise interruption.” Our suffering is strong, YET, by His grace, He gives us the ability to rejoice and take joy…in Him. When earthly years may indeed hold permanent challenge, YET could be our important word today as we sing of His hope, into today’s very real lament. I’m praying that He brings joy, peace, and rest to our hearts, amidst the suffering.
“I will rejoice in the LORD”
I am suffering and YET, this is true:
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8 ESV).
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9 ESV).
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life (Rom. 5:10 ESV).
Even though I’m suffering, God loves me. I’m forever saved from His wrath, my deserved punishment for sin. I’m reconciled to Him, saved by the perfect obedience of Jesus that took Him all the way to the cross, for me. How can I rejoice today? Through Christ!
My faith has found a resting place,
from guilt my soul is freed;
I trust the ever-living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
this ends my fear and doubt;
a sinful soul, I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out.
(“My Faith Has Found a Resting Place,” Hewitt, E. D., PD)
“I will take joy in the God of my salvation”
I can exult in what the Lord has done for me, a triumph of His grace and love for me! I suffer on earth, YET, this is true:
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life (Rom. 6:22 ESV).
My great Physician heals the sick,
the lost He came to save;
for me His precious blood He shed,
for me His life He gave.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
the written Word of God,
salvation by my Savior’s name,
salvation through His blood.
“It is enough that Jesus died”
On the hardest days of suffering, is it enough that Jesus died for me?
I’ve often asked myself to honestly answer that hard question. As I read the hymn-writer Eliza’s story, I thanked God for His lovely grace in the discovery. She wrote her songs despite wrestling with a “spinal malady which cut short her career and made her a shut-in for many years.”[1]
You see, this too is the context for my suffering, walking through brain and spine afflictions. My heart swelled as I read about what the Lord did in her life, in and through her trials.
Dear one, we are suffering, and YET, our loving Father is at work in and through it, this very moment. I can’t wait to meet Eliza in our heavenly home and tell her that her song encourages me, hundreds of years later.
It is enough that Jesus died, for me.
The power of “Yet, I will rejoice in the LORD”
The Lord is our Father because we are in Christ and reconciled to Him in an intimate relationship. So, He’s our strength and source, for everything. According to the Hebrew for this verse, He makes us “tread” or crush, flatten, press down, walk on, and make spiritual progress, on the battlefields of our hardest places! This is the power of YET…when He helps us take joy in the God of our salvation!
Glory to God that He helps us “crush it,” when we’re suffering!
A playlist to “take joy in the God of my salvation”
By God’s healing mercy, I’ve worked as a church musician for most of my life, delighting in crafting worship services alongside pastors. Hymns and songs fill my heart and head all day, married with Scripture and my love for studying His Word. So I’m sharing YouTube playlist gifts with other suffering sisters in Christ, who also desire to endure hard suffering with deepened faith. This week, it’s one to help us sing-pray, “Father, I’m suffering, yet, please help me to take joy in the God of my salvation.” If it would bless you to receive weekly playlists, sign up here!
[1] https://hymnary.org/text/my_faith_has_found_a_resting_place
