She bowed before her Lord in desperate need. “Lord, all I can see is suffering, pain, turmoil, unrest, evil. My anxiety is ramping up and my situation isn’t improving. Please help me find rest in this un-rest.
Maybe today, help me praise You for what’s happening right now in the heavenly realms, no matter what I’m suffering with on earth. I can’t see it, but I know You’re at work today.”
Praising God as we ask Him for help in suffering
Let’s join her in a praise interruption of Scripture and song, praising God for unseen and eternal things, as we simultaneously pray for His help to find rest, in our suffering.
Yes, Lord, You ARE Alpha and Omega, beginning and end, beyond all time and space.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:6 ESV).
You’ve given me eternal hope in Christ.
[We] groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? (Rom. 8:23-24 ESV).
Your Spirit lives within me, Your inheritance is laid up for me.
You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him (Rom. 8:15b-17 ESV).
You ARE love, love excelling and beyond measure, shown to me in Jesus Christ.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8 ESV).
He took my sin upon Himself and paid the just penalty for all of it.
It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification (Rom. 4:24-25 ESV).
Oh Lord, please continue to help me lay aside my self-centered sin and use this time of suffering to do so.
Your continual compassion, faithfulness, and unending mercies overwhelm me, Father.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him” (Lam. 3:22-24 ESV).
Selah.
I am finding hope and rest as I look to my promised, unseen rest, because of my blessed Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thank You, my Lord and King. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”
Praising God for what is unseen, in song
Beloved, I’m praying that the Holy Spirit has illuminated God’s Word to you as it mingles with the hymn’s honest words. In so many hymns, the lyrics are prayers of need for God’s help…that become prayers of praise.
These lyrics remind us of our gospel hope in Jesus Christ, helping us to look to what is unseen with rejoicing, especially as we suffer. In and by this hope, God gives us rest in our un-rest.
Every week, I professionally curate a playlist of gospel-centered old hymns and new songs that help us to sing to the Lord…and believe the Lord. In our suffering, hoping in what we can’t yet see is hard. If my playlist gifts might help you, sign up here and I’ll send them to your email. May God bless you as you sing Christ’s hope into your suffering this week.
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