This week’s hymnwriter, a pastor’s kid, wrote this in serious illness, re-turning to the Lord after falling away for over twenty years:
We plow the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand.
(“We Plow the Fields and Scatter,” Claudius, M., 1782)
Serious illness has a way of humbling us into deep thanksgiving for each moment, each good gift. We begin to see that our triune God is the source of all good gifts around us.
He’s also done this with me. I’m so thankful to still be alive on earth!
We begin to cherish each day as His gift, each breath as His gift, each meal as His gift, each created thing in nature as His gift. We become keenly aware that every relationship, every person we encounter, is His gifted opportunity to share the love of Christ. We begin to see that any good soil we might be, any good fruit we might bear, any Christlike fruit in our character (Gal. 5:22-23)…all comes from the Lord God Almighty Himself!
As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience (Lk. 8:15 ESV).
Suffering helps us see God’s good gifts in each changing season outside…mirroring each slowly changing work in our souls within shifting seasons of our lives
For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish (Jer. 31:25 ESV).
He sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain…
You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing (Ps. 145:16 ESV).
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.
Suffering helps us see…every good and perfect gift is from our triune and unchanging Lord of love!
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (Jas. 1:17 ESV).
All good gifts around us
are sent from heav’n above…
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb. 13:8 ESV).
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
for all his love.
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chron. 16:34 ESV)
He only is the Maker
of all things near and far…
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever (Ps. 136:3 ESV).
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star…
And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Mt. 8:27 ESV)
the winds and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed…
Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God for help,
and wander about for lack of food? (Job 38:41 ESV)
much more to us, his children,
he gives our daily bread.
Giving thanks to our Father for every day He gives to us in our short lives on earth, as we suffer
We thank you, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good…
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food…
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun (Eccl. 9:7 ESV).
Giving thanks to God for His good gift of justification in Christ, His greatest gift of all, as we suffer
No gifts have we to offer
for all your love imparts…
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom. 3:23-25 ESV).
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8 ESV).
but that which you desire now:
our humble, thankful hearts.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6 ESV).
Giving thanks to God who “richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17) by singing thanks to God for all His good gifts…
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
giving thanks always and for everything
to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:19-21 ESV).
One of the reasons our Lord began the ministry of Singing Christ’s Hope is that “giving thanks always and for everything” by singing…has been His good and perfect gift to carry me through many years of serious illness. It’s helped me to set my hopes on what is certain and eternal!
Much like our hymnwriter, suffering produces humble, thankful hearts in enduring believers! Glory to God!
This week’s playlist gift for subscribers gives us songs of thanksgiving to sing, in this season of suffering. If this would bless you this week, in which many set aside time to thank God, I’m praying it will help you magnify our Lord, the giver of all good gifts, in all seasons…even this hard one.
Sign up here and it will come to your email, with love from a sister in Christ who understands…
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, or Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
For Scripture devotionals, calming hymns, and encouragement from Lauri, click here for YouTube channel
For music therapy-inspired podcasts of Scripture and hymns to help calm symptoms of chronic illness and pain, head here!
2 Comments
Georgene · November 25, 2025 at 8:31 pm
May the Lord lessen your pain enough that your chair will not be empty at the table this Thanksgiving. You are a gift from God that I am thankful for.
Lauri Hogle · November 26, 2025 at 8:08 am
With tears of joy that He introduced us, and many prayers of thanksgiving and special requests for you, thank you, dear sister in Christ. 🙏🏼❤️✝️
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