It could be awesome!

My friend shared her dread of her chronic illness symptoms crashing into something she had to do the following week. I shared that I dreaded escalating symptoms at an upcoming event, knowing they likely would appear because of its inherent activity.

She tried to encourage me, exclaiming, “But it could be awesome!”

We then laughed at God’s beautiful grace to both of us, as He replaced our fears with trusting Him. Yes, our concerns could come true…but it also “could be awesome!”

I’ve been pondering this amazingly hope-filled thought ever since. For it has echoed so much Scriptural truth into my fears of what lies ahead with brain surgery, a typically painful and prolonged recovery, and its outcomes. 

Because what “could be” is already in the hands of the One who is Himself…awesome.

God is awesome!

Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!

(“Praise Him! Praise Him!”, Crosby, F., 1869)

Sing, O earth, his wonderful love proclaim!

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are (1 Jn. 3:1 ESV).

Hail him! Hail him! Highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to his holy name!

Our Father of glory…

raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come (Eph. 1:20-21 ESV). 

Praise him! Praise him!
Tell of his excellent greatness!

In awe of what He has done for us in Christ

Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!

Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2 CSB).

For our sins he suffered and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation.

Hail him! Hail him! Jesus the Crucified.

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift (Eph. 2:8 CSB).

Sound his praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted (Is. 53:4 ESV).

Love unbounded, wonderful, deep, and strong.

No matter what the future holds, it could be awesome in His care

Like a shepherd…

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young (Is. 40:11 ESV).

Jesus will guard his children.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD (Ez. 34:15 ESV).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd

lays down his life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11 ESV).

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me (Jn. 10:14 ESV).

In his arms he carries them all day long.

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd (Jn. 10:16 ESV).

The LORD is MY shepherd; I shall not want (Ps. 23:1 ESV, emphasis added).

It will be awesome!

Praise him! Praise him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, 

will appear a second time, not to deal with sin 

but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him (Heb. 9:28 ESV).

Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever;
Crown him! crown him! Prophet and Priest and King!

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe (Heb. 1:1-2 ESV).

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin (Heb. 4:14-15 ESV).

Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
power and glory unto the Lord belong.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt. 25:31-34 ESV).

Singing praise to our awesome God, into our suffering

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7:17 ESV).

Praise him! Praise Him!
ever in joyful song!

Based on my first brain surgery experience and that of others, we should expect a long and painful recovery. That will not feel “awesome,” physically or emotionally. But I know that it will be beautiful to look to Jesus by praising Him, our awesome God, into the whole process, knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ is shepherding me through it, all the way to the day I see Him as He is. And this?

It’s singing Christ’s hope into suffering.

Sweet friend, whatever you’re dreading “could be awesome.” Why? Because it’s already in the hands of the One who is awesome. So, you know what? That means it “WILL be awesome” in whatever way He brings it to us in those loving hands.

I’m making playlists to prepare, many of which I share with subscribers. If you want to sing of your hope in Christ, into your own suffering, sign up below, and it will come to your email with all my love and encouragement. Or perhaps the other resources of our nonprofit ministry might encourage you, if you are just learning about us. God bless you in this difficult time, sister in Christ.