Happy Monday!

John 16: 33 says, “I told you these things so that you can have peace in Me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.”

This morning I was still pretty upset over Robert’s death and thinking about Casey. So I just asked God if I could just be quiet before Him today. My heart was breaking all over again and I cried most of the way to school. When I was almost at Hulen I prayed for God to ease my hurting soul and fill my loss. I told God there were so many people counting on me today that I really needed to get myself together before I began the day at school. Then I remembered I had not listened to my drive time devotion. And the message today was the message of comfort and assurance I so needed to hear.

Horatio Spafford lived in Chicago during the mid 1800’s. He lost all of his children and all of his possessions in the great Chicago Fire. In the worst possible part of his life he was so grounded in the love of Christ that he found the love and peace of Christ there within the literal ashes of his life. He prayed for the peace, the peace that passes all understanding. God answered his prayer. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Horatio penned the beautiful words to the old hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.”

“When peace like a river attendeth my way. When sorrows like sea billows roll. Whatever my lot, Thou hast caused me to say, “it is well, it is well, It is well with my soul.” I needed to hear this passage of scripture and I needed to hear this story. It gave me a peace I had not felt in a while. What this story said to me was that God had placed in each of us enough of Himself, His peace, His faith, His joy, His compassion and His tender mercies so that whatever life throws at us we can draw on His strength and call on His gifts to get us through. This verse and the hymn it inspired reminded me of the assurance of the love of God and that God knows how we feel. God’s gift to each of us is His love. Once the love of God is within us, His love does not leave us. It is sort of like having a bank of resources that are unlimited for us each day and we can draw on those resources at anytime. Isn’t it wonderful that I was given a song of peace and comfort as a balm for healing? God knows me so well that He spoke to me through a man’s tragic loss of his family and through a song.

I now have a new resource to call on when the wave of grief and loss overcomes me. I will remember the words of one who lost everything and I will sing, “It is well. It is well with my soul.” I may still weep tears of pain and sadness, but I know at the end of the night of weeping, the joy will come. The joy will come because God’s love is within me and even when I don’t recognize it, it will be there.

So I guess my question tonight is this…Where do you go when your heart is broken? Do you seek comfort in the world…or do you seek the One who defeated the world?

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.