Sweet comfort from God, to endure more suffering

Have you ever wondered how much more you could possibly endure? 

I had that moment recently. Hooked up to beeping machines in the hospital, tears welled up. I felt like such a burden to others in my weakness. Stuck, dependent, weary, unable, overwhelmed. In desperate need of our Helper once again. 

More, Lord? More?

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead (2 Cor. 1:8-9 ESV).

Yes, that’s how it felt.

I need Thee, every hour, most precious Lord. 

Our beloved Comforter came alongside. He’d already provided a beautiful hymn to share with you, describing what’s happened in the last two years of my serious illness. He’d already provided a playlist (shared with subscribers this week)…but was it also for my latest round of illness? 

What sweet, sweet comfort. Praying He comforts you as well, in whatever ongoing sufferings you’re experiencing.

Sing this week’s “praise interruption” to the tune of “Amazing Grace!” It works!

Sweet comfort of knowing Christ Jesus even more, in my need

When languor and disease invade

This trembling house of clay,

’Tis sweet to look beyond our cage,

And long to fly away…

(“The Sweetness of Spiritual Things,” Toplady, A. M., p.d.)

that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ (Col. 2:2 ESV).

Sweet comfort of Jesus’ love and interceding prayers for me

 Sweet to look inward, and attend

The whispers of his love;

Sweet to look upward to the place

Where Jesus pleads above.

Sweet comfort of our sure hope in Christ, eternal life with Him!

God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 2:13 -14 ESV).

Sweet to look back, and see my name

In life’s fair book set down;

Sweet to look forward, and behold

Eternal joys my own.

So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, 

we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement 

to hold fast to the hope set before us (Heb. 6:17-18 ESV).

Remembering the cross, comforted by my suffering Savior

Sweet to reflect how grace divine

My sins on Jesus laid;

Sweet to remember that his blood

My debt of suffering paid.

My “Paraclete” breathes His comfort

This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life (Ps. 119:50 ESV).

Sweet in his righteousness to stand,

Which saves from second death;

Sweet to experience, day by day,

His Spirit’s quickening breath.

Oh, the comfort of our faithful God’s unending love and grace, specifically through our utter dependence on Him!

Sweet in his faithfulness to rest,

Whose love can never end;

Sweet on his covenant of grace

For all things to depend.

For the LORD comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song (Is. 51:3 ESV).

Resting in knowing I will never have to endure anything beyond my loving and compassionate Father’s perfect will and plan for me

Sweet in the confidence of faith

To trust his firm decrees;

Sweet to lie passive in his hands,

And know no will but his.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our affliction, 

so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, 

with the comfort with which we ourselves

are comforted by God (2 Cor. 1:3-4 ESV).

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, my abundantly overflowing source of comfort in ongoing suffering

If such the sweetness of the streams,

What must the fountain be?

Where saints and angels draw their bliss

Immediately from thee!

This week’s playlist of His comfort in our suffering and other resources

Sister in Christ, once again, our Comforter came near in His songs in this latest unexpected hospital stay. I was too weak to read His Word. In sleepless hospital time, this playlist was His gift. An audio Bible and the podcast (below) for chronic illness and pain were also His gifts.

If you haven’t yet received the music therapy-inspired playlists He’s so lovingly providing to me as I suffer and would be encouraged and comforted by Scriptural music, sign up here, and I can send them to you in email each week. With love, here are all the current offerings of our ministry.

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For podcast of Scripture and music to help with symptoms of chronic illness and pain, click here.

For short YouTube devotionals of Scriptural encouragement in our suffering, click here

For written devotional Bible study prayer journals as we suffer? Click below for details.

Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering

Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character in Our Suffering

Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering