Rallying to go.
Striving for a calendarized date. Clamoring for help.
Leave to your God to order and provide;
in ev'ry change he faithful will remain.
(“Be Still, My Soul,” von Schegel, K., 1752)
Jungled maze of parking, cavernous hallways, buzzing lights…camera…action.
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side…
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” (Deut. 31:6 ESV).
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Is. 41:10 ESV).
The waiting room
Waiting, waiting, waiting.
Wondering.
Hollow eyes of illness and pain waiting alongside, meeting empathetic gazes.
Exhausted mutual knowing.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain…
“O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble” (Is. 33:2 ESV).
Paper.
Computers.
Systemic chaos.
Quotas.
Money. Business.
Waiting. Waiting.
Be still, my soul: your best, your heav'nly Friend
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
The vitals
Statistics of what is “vital?”
Labeling.
Hoping for clues. For help from the doctor. Is this “vital” today, Lord?
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
The doctors
Medical professionals, humans.
Stressed-out, hurting sinners by nature.
Fixating on flaws…our un-health.
Am I flawed? Broken? Weak?
Keeping track. List of possible symptoms, treatments, unsolvable problems.
Shame?
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place…
“Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 Jn. 3:2 ESV).
Subtle blaming.
“Un-health” fault-finding.
Guilt? My fault? My doing? Not doing?
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2 ESV).
Condemned, He stood!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Back to the waiting room
Arrogant dismissal.
Hurried rush to judgment.
Whisked out.
Injustice.
Un-health un-helped.
Hurt.
Silent tears and screams.
Un-loved.
Angry.
“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!” (Ps. 119:28 ESV)
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below!
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority” (Col. 2:9-10 ESV).
Medical appointments become sanctifying appointments
“I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mt. 5:44-45 ESV).
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13 ESV).
Be still, my soul: your Jesus can repay
from his own fullness all he takes away.
“Whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 4:11 ESV).
Medical appointments become divine appointments
“But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress” (Ps. 59:16 ESV).
Then shall you better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe your sorrow and your fears.
“To love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mk. 12:33 ESV).
“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 Cor. 12:10 ESV).
“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” (2 Thess. 3:3 ESV).
Still soul, strong soul, safe soul, saved soul..
In Christ alone.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hast'ning on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin
but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:27-28 ESV).
Hope, within our Father’s divinely set…
Medical appointments!
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
A music therapy-inspired podcast gift to use when chronic illness and pain symptoms are strong.
This podcast is filled with hymns and Scriptures. Music therapy-inspired, with my professional work experience (retired now!), I’m using it too, needing God’s calming and pain-relieving endorphins the music helps to produce. Dealing with ongoing neurological symptoms and disabling pain after my second brain surgery, it’s one of His many gifts to use when chronic pain ramps up. Praying God helps you too, cognitively, physically, emotionally, and spiritually! See the podcast show notes for tips to use it, with love from this sister in Christ who understands chronic pain and illness.
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