Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. (Isa. 33:2)
OUR SON CARTER LIVED only an hour. He was born without kidneys, a rare birth defect that cannot support life outside the womb. Overcome with loss, I struggled each day to get out of bed, feed our toddler, and make sure we had clean clothes. Feeling desperate and out of options, I collapsed at God’s feet, begging each day for the strength to survive. What I found was more than just daily “scraps” to keep me going. I discovered an abundance and intimacy with God I didn’t know was possible.
Perhaps you too have experienced a devastating circumstance—a fatal accident, an unexpected diagnosis, or the loss of a parent or child. Most of us don’t go through life untouched by grief. In these moments, we can abandon ourselves to the nothingness, to the silent burn that comes in the throes of loss, or fall into God, trusting he’ll be exactly who he says he is.
When we choose God, he will not disappoint. When we cry out to him daily, pouring out every searing detail of our brokenness, he will be faithful. We may not see his purpose immediately or ever in this life, but we will experience redemption, for “he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps. 147:3).
God is more than enough—in everything. He will do more than sustain you; he will redeem your pain.
Cry out to God, anticipate his redemption, and tell of his abundance.
Sarah E. Westfall resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with husband Ben and their four boys. Her elusive free time is spent reading, home remodeling, and writing.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
