(C) Cheryl Howard 2008

Even in the midst of anguish and pain

Tis YOUR love O LORD steadfast remains

When sorrow brings me to my knees

Tis YOUR heart I seek and long to please

 

When heavy weighs my heart a stone

Consoled am I that I am YOUR own

For bereft YOU promise me never to leave

YOUR arms they comfort me as I grieve

 

Such patience and kindness do I find in YOU

YOU let me weep then in me breathe life anew

The most faithful of friends YOU prove to be

Stand fast by my side as YOUR love it holds me

 

YOU understand our deep suffering and sorrow

YOU are the only ONE can give hope for tomorrow

My hand YOU take, secure in YOUR unwavering grip

YOU lead out into joy, guide my steps so they don’t slip

 

YOUR tenderness is a balm to my soul

YOUR gentleness it makes me whole

YOUR power and strength, on them I depend

My towering KING Whom my life does defend!

 

 

 

 

 

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in ME you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

 

Hear the power of CHRIST’s declaration to us:  In ME you will find peace! Yes, you will have tribulation - pressure, stress, adversity, distress, crushing, anguish, oppression, affliction … (life will not be easy for us in this world!) but cheer up, because I have overcome everything you will face! And because of that fact you can experience MY peace, no matter what you ’suffer’ …

These were not idle words from The SON of GOD, He had just told HIS closest followers that they would desert HIM & leave HIM to suffer alone - HE knew what HE was about to face, and HE knew The FATHER was, & would be, with HIM. But HE knew something even greater - HE was about to endure ‘hell’ to secure our victory, our overcoming, our liberty - from sin & death! HE lived a life of overcoming & HE was about to die & rise from the dead to overcome!

 

Hear the victory in this reality - we can be misunderstood (as HE was), subject to other’s agendas & desires to control us (as HE was), neglected & even deserted (as HE was) - with no one who cares enough to stay by our side & love us unconditionally & to put our needs ahead of their own desires; we can endure all these sorrows, pains, sufferings & privations and still experience the overcoming love, companionship, power & fellowship of GOD Himself to such a degree that our anguish & distress is neutered, nullified & powerless to truly touch or harm us! Our ‘life’ is in HIM - in HIS Presence there is joyous overcoming victory! A place where not only are we NOT robbed, but we are benefited, blessed & living in HIS abundance! Truly HE is all we need! 

 

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on The LORD; be of good courage, and HE will strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on The LORD!” Bind ourselves together with HIM, look expectantly for HIM; take hold of courage & prevail - and GOD will strengthen our heart (our ‘feelings’, ‘will’ & ‘intellect’)!

 

Don’t look at your mountains - look to your SAVIOR who sits enthroned above every mountain! May our BELOVED SAVIOR enlarge our vision of ALMIGHTY GOD! ( Psalm 121:1“I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help? My help comes from The LORD, Who made heaven and earth!”)