As I shared last week, I recently underwent a week of lying flat in bed, staring at the ceiling, asking God to heal the pain-full problem with my brain’s cerebrospinal fluid. I couldn’t comfortably read or listen to anything. All I had was Jesus and talking to Him, hearing His gentle and tender voice speak back to my pain, through what He’d previously fit into my thoughts and heart in His Word and songs…before this crisis hit.
I had a moment when Amy Carmichael’s words surfaced and caused some emotional struggle. “In acceptance lieth peace.” I love that poem, but how could I accept lying flat in a dark room, unable to physically care for myself at all, yet again?
At times, my bed felt more like a prison. Stuck, held down, shackled. Grief, loss. A place where I felt like I had to force myself to respond in a certain way. But lament was His way in that moment…pretending with Him is not His way for us.
I quickly realized I constantly had to ask the Lord to give me peace, rather than trying to grit my teeth, to muster up peace, or attempt to make myself feel content to let the world go by.
This became His powerful gift of healing, peace, and even His gracious contentment in that awful week. Not focusing my thoughts on what I must “do” in response to the affliction but simply receiving His compassionate gift of released and quieted thoughts of who Jesus is, the One holding me fast, becoming my peace in suffering.
Our Prince of Peace, our Lord of peace, our God of peace… “peaced” into me!
Not my grip on Him, but His grip on me.
Not on my own “doing,” but on His “already done” for me.
And you…
Christ Himself, the God of PEACE
Christ is my All, my sure Defence,
Nor shall my soul depart from thence…
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
For by a single offering he has perfected
for all time
those who are being sanctified (Heb. 10:12-14 ESV).
He is my Rock, my Refuge too,
In spite of all my foes can do.
(“Christ All in All,” Adams, J.. p.d.)
Jesus, the Lord of peace, our SOURCE
Christ is my All, and he will lead
My soul in pastures green to feed…
Now may the Lord of peace himself
give you peace
at all times
in every way.
The Lord be with you all (2 Thess. 3:16 ESV).
’Tis he supplies my every want,
And will all needful blessings grant.
Jesus Himself is our HELP, becoming our peace in suffering
Christ is my All! where should I go?
Without him I can nothing do…
O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works (Is. 26:12 ESV)!
Helpless and weak, a sinner great,
Yet in his righteousness complete.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4 ESV)!
Christ Himself is our HOPE of forever peace!
My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Is. 32:18 ESV).
Now may the God of peace himself
sanctify you completely,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23 ESV).
Now may the God of peace
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant,
equip you with everything good that you may do his will,
working in us
that which is pleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Heb. 13:20-21 ESV).
A playlist gift for us to sing, “Christ my all” as we suffer
I’ve made a playlist for the next time I’ll need to lie flat for a week, as it’s the first-line treatment for this common challenge with my brainstem herniation.
In Christ, my all, lieth my peace!
Not in anything I do myself!
When I cannot “do” anything, even listen to music, this is His gift, for He brings songs to mind in His shepherding and holding care. All glory be to Christ alone, in Whom we both have all hope, my suffering sister in Christ.
If it would bless you to have these songs, sign up here and they will come to your email, with love and prayer that He carries you with them too.
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 podcast
For those with chronic illness and pain, here’s a podcast of Scripture and hymns to ease symptoms
