Worship IV, Day 6 Praise You In My Pain

1 Peter 2:21-25
Matthew 5:38-48 
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Worship IV, Day 6

In my Christian journey I’ve learned a lot about myself, about God, and how those two go together. I’ve learned more of who God is and the intricacies of His character.
The more I know Him, the more I crave to be like Him.

How?
The answer is always follow Jesus’ example.

How again?
The answer is always taking in Scripture.

In 1 Peter 2:21-25, we see Jesus reviled by people, but He didn’t choose retaliation.
There were no evil threats spewing from His mouth.
He chose to entrust His life to the Father.
And then died for the salvation of the very ones who reviled Him.

In my everyday life, this example is just one Jesus is calling me to follow.
He’s teaching me to sit and be still in His presence.
He invites me not to worry about peoples’ opinions of me.

Because if He, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, was persecuted
then I should expect the same.
And if He upheld His testimony, boldly declaring unfathomable love for me
then so should I.
So should we.

And because He trusted His life to God,
then I should do the same.
So should we.

“But continued entrusting Himself (Jesus) to Him (Father God) who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:23

It’s easy to lose sight of entrusting our lives to God in the middle of suffering.
It is as if our pain blinds us to the deeper spiritual battle,
keeping our sights set on our selfish entitlement.

Where is your suffering, Sister?

Maybe you’re fighting for a precious relationship, facing rejection, grieving a loved one, having your dreams crushed, or undergoing character assassination.

Regardless of your suffering….
Jesus’ example is to worship through it.
So should we.

Worship is not simply singing a song,
but entrusting our lives to the Almighty God.

When I was younger, I would listen to worship songs day and night.
One of my favorites was Casting Crowns’ Praise You In The Storm.

And I’ll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
That you are who you are
No matter where I am
And every tear I’ve cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm

“That You are who You are… no matter where I am.”

Sisters, Our God is constant!
Who He is today is exactly Who He will be tomorrow. Hebrews 13:8
He will never leave us or forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:6
He will uphold us with His righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
We will never be tempted to sin without a way out from it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Throughout experience I’ve come to understand what praising God in my pain means, through all kinds of stages and seasons of suffering.

I’ve been the girl sitting in the bathroom stall during lunch crying because no one wanted to sit with me.
I’ve been the girl grieving the deaths of those closest to me.
I’ve been the girl sexually assaulted multiple times.
I’ve been the girl lying awake with nightmares from the trauma I’ve experienced.
I’ve been the girl ready to take her life
because I felt like death would be better than the pain.

But, Sisters.
I’m also the girl whose life was interrupted by the God who saved me and walked with me in every single one of those seasons of suffering.

God has wrapped me in His arms so tightly I had no other option but to
praise Him through my pain.

And as I look back on my suffering, I see how God used it.
Not to accomplish what I wanted most.
But to bring me closer to Him.
To shape my heart like His.

I don’t know about you, but for me I experience God in an entirely different dimension when I am cloaked in painful suffering.

I crave His presence
I crave His love
I crave His promises
I crave His comfort

Suffering is the sweet tool the Shepherd of our hearts uses to point away from our weakness and towards His everlasting strength.

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content
with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

When we worship Him through our suffering we declare His Name.
When we worship Him through our suffering we find peace and comfort.
When we worship Him through our suffering we tell the world our God is good and worthy of praise!

He is still good, gracious, merciful, and just even when life is not. Therefore, He is worthy of our praise.  

So Sisters, let’s choose worship, just as our Savior did as He gave His life for us.
Let’s choose to praise Him in our pain, entrusting our lives to the One who loves us best!

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