I recently woke up with an unusual feeling of heaviness - feeling weary, hollow, and unsettled inside. In accordance with my normal daily pattern, I got dressed and left for my quiet corner in a local coffee shop for some alone time with Jesus. As God would have it, when I got in the car, the first song to play on the radio was an old familiar classic – “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
To the thousands of others that may have been tuned in to this same station, it was just another song. But to me, it was God reminding me that in both good times and bad - He is always with me.
Listen with your spiritual ears with me, to the words of this familiar song. “When you walk through a storm hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of a storm there’s a golden sky, and the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on through the wind. Walk on through the rain. Though your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone.”
At one time or another, despondency impacts all of us. It would be easy for us to become excessively burdened and sink into despair - but for the knowledge that Jesus is with us. He was calling to me that morning and reminding me, “I will be with you always, right to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)
There were times when the Apostle Paul “despaired even of life.” (II Cor. 1:8) The only thing that pulled him through was his awareness of God’s promised presence. He knew that God had higher purposes for everything that transpired in his life - both good and bad. Paul called Him his “merciful Father and source of all comfort.” (V:3). “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” He went on to say, “…the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.” (V:4). Paul then gives a personal example about all the troubles he went through in his missionary travels. “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” (V:8-10)
That morning in the car my life’s verse came blazing back to mind. “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) “Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isa. 46:4)
Today, God would have you reach out - and by faith - take a firmer grasp of His hand …and keep going. Keep going! With hope in your heart. (Rom. 12:12) You’ll never walk alone.
Be blessed my friend.
Glen (Pitts)
The Barnabas Group / Loads of Love
Psalm 42:5; Hebrews 12:1-3; 12-13; Rom. 8:37-39; II Cor. 1:1-11; Isaiah 61:1-3; Nehemiah 1:1-11
