Requested by SlimJim, Praise You in This Storm, by Casting Crowns.
Nothing could be harder than praising God while your own life bottoms out–loved ones die, world chewed up by the wicked, all your favorite places torn down and paved over. I have to admit I haven’t mastered it. I need God’s grace.
His grace is yours, and all you have to do is remember the huge price He paid for your freedom. That alone is reason enough to make us praise HIM. As we do, He comes closer.
I’m at a pretty low ebb. My beautiful innocent cat dies, while some race-hustling jidrool gets to be on the Supreme Court and damage my country.
Rejoice always we are told – I figure that means even when we don’t feel like it.
“Nothing could be harder than praising God while your own life bottoms out–loved ones die…” I have been able to praise God, through the death of my father, mother, daughter, and many other loved ones at their passing. But, it was so very very hard, at least for a few days to pray, sing, and praise God after the death of my beloved wife. That was truly, “the bottom fell out” time in my life. As the song says, it was after her death, it really seemed “I had to stand alone.” Maybe this song could be posted in the next day or so.
He Knows Exactly What I Need
(Dottie Rambo)
When I thought I needed friendship,
I had to stand alone.
When I thought that I was doing right,
The Lord said I was wrong.
When I thought I needed a blessing,
The good Lord sent a trial.
Now I know just what it is,
To suffer for a while.
He knows exactly what I need
to walk the narrow way.
Jesus knows how to keep me humble
Knows how to make me pray.
He knows when the clouds are up in the sky
And I’m walking through the valley low,
I’ll be down on my knees
Calling on Him, there’s no other place to go.
When I thought I needed sunshine,
The Lord sent rain.
When I thought I needed healing,
I had my share of pain.
I’ve been looking for a mountain top,
But a valley’s all I see.
Jesus always seems to know,
Exactly what I need.
Mike, this cuts awfully close to the bone for me and I don’t know if I have the spiritual strength to post it.
If I was the pastor of a church when my wife died, we would have had to find a replacement, at least for a few months. I have a friend, a pastor, whose wife of 40 years, passed away in her sleep a few months ago. I have no idea, how he could have kept preaching during that time. God alone must have been his strength.
That song has a special meaning for me. Let me share a bit from a book I am writing.
Sometimes Christians can be the most indifferent and apathetic folks around. After my divorce and remarriage, I continued to attend the same large church I had for years. However, things were never the same with my old friends, some I had known for many years. I’m not sure the reason, was it because I was divorced and remarried? Only God truly knows.
Eleven months after our vows, Hannah Marie, our firstborn came into the world, but she never left the hospital during her brief twenty-three days of life (Hannah’s story, 23 Days can be found in the book The Path Life Takes). While in the hospital, other than the pastor and his wife, no one from our sizeable congregation came to visit, though it had been announced over the pulpit every service. Then, after she died, there were no phone calls, no offers of help with the funeral arrangements from old friends, nor from the church staff. Though the day and time for the funeral were announced, other than the pastor who was giving the eulogy, and his wife, no one from the church came for the service. Moreover, when we went to church the following Sunday, I can count on one hand the number of people who offered condolences, and only one old friend said anything.
What is very puzzling, I even talked with the pastor after these things took place (for a long while), and laid out what you have read, and so much more about what we had gone through. The pastor understood, and the next Sunday spoke to the whole congregation about the total lack of support. It made no difference, there was still no response from the congregation. It was like we were being shunned, or invisible and didn’t exist. Why? What was the reason, the purpose Lord? What sin had we committed? I will ask Him when I get to heaven.
Nevertheless, we were not totally alone, a great deal of support came from the Filipino community, which passed the information around and many responded with love and care. We didn’t need to ask for help, they knew. There were lots of emails with condolences, cards with money poured in, many we haven’t been able to thank, for there were just first names and no addresses. An American/Filipino couple, Dale and Irene S. called and asked if we needed any help. They came to our apartment and made all the arrangements for the funeral, the music, the place to meet after the service, the food served, and clean-up afterward. I still don’t know who paid for the food or where it came from. We were so distraught; I don’t know what we would have done without their help. For the funeral service, as I looked over those who had gathered, it was a sea of mostly unfamiliar Filipino faces, dotted with a few of my relatives and one old friend. We had a lack of support from our own congregation, but truly had the full support from the Filipino community.
I know someone who had a similar experience with her church: suddenly they didn’t want to know her. Shouldn’t happen, but it does.
Thanks Lee for fulfilling this request