“Sometimes God calms the storms and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child….” Life has thrown me a curveball the last few years regarding my health. Up until about five years ago I was living with very minimal pain. I got the occasional migraine which would knock me down shortly, but I was able to go the majority of the month pain free. Most days lately however, I find it hard to keep my head above water. To say I get overwhelmed with the constant pain would be quite the understatement. There are days where I am completely taken over with anxiety and depression from my daily pain. The past several months have been a whirlwind of different physical health issues ranging from migraines that last days at a time, to my back going out and not being able to walk. Even though I spend most days in very heart felt prayer, I have not been really working on strengthening my relationship with the Lord. Most days if I am being honest, my prayers are very specific to my pain and sometimes, all I ask for a healing from it.   

If you are like me, which I assume in this regard most people are. You just want God to “calm the storm.” He stilled the storm to a whisper, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” Psalm 107:29 You would rather not go through the pain and learning process of that season and would rather just skip to the healing and happy ending.

But what if in your storm is where you find His comfort most? I have found that I am closest to God and I feel Him most when I am in my deepest pain.

What about you? So my thought is that if God didn’t let us go through the storms then we wouldn’t know how strong and powerful He was. We wouldn’t be able to comprehend the unconditional love and grace He has for us. That when we are hurting, He hurts too. That when we are crying out to Him in the middle of the night, all He wants is to comfort us and tell us that everything is going to be ok. Without the pain; both physical and emotional, we wouldn’t draw closer to Him, our Heavenly Father who loves us like, but so very much more than our earthly father.

If you are praying for a healing, never give up. But do know that sometimes the healing is in the process. Sometimes the pain leads you to the healing. And sometimes the healing is there but you just need to accept it. God did not create us to carry our burdens alone in silence. God wants to carry your pain and burdens. God wants to set you free!  There is a song by Ellie Holcomb that every time it gets to this part (the last line here below) I literally start crying the ugly cry because it hits me so hard. To think that God, the creator of the universe feels our pain. To think that His heart breaks at our pain….WOW! I hope that these words bring you comfort next time you are feeling alone in your pain. Because you are NEVER alone. 

Find You Here: Ellie Holcomb

And I didn’t know I’d find You here
In the middle of my deepest fear, but
You are drawing near
You are overwhelming me, with peace
So I’ll lift my voice and sing
You’re gonna carry me through everything
You are drawing near
You’re overwhelming all my fear….

Here in the middle of the lonely night
Here in the middle of the losing fight, You’re
Here in the middle of the deep regret
Here when the healing hasn’t happened yet
Here in the middle of the desert place
Here in the middle when I cannot see Your face
Here in the middle with Your outstretched arms
You can see my pain and it breaks Your heart.

xo,

Elizabeth