It Is Well

Life sometimes is hard to deal with. There are rough spots that seem to be more troublesome than anything we ever thought we could handle. There have been many times when I have wondered if I was going to make it through some of these "spots" and if so how I was going to do it. Just about that time is when the Lord is always so faithful to remind me that He is still God, He still in control, and He is still with me. He has never left or forsaken me. There is nothing quite like being reassured by the Lord. I've been having several weeks of rough spots and I have been praying that the Lord would help me get through them and give me strength to do all the things I need to do. He has done all that, but even more precious is His reminder that all is well. I heard a hymn that I know very well and love very much. It talks about all the things that may happen in your life - the good, the bad, the pleasant, the hard - and it says that through it all there is one thing that we can be sure of - it is well with our souls. If there is any comfort I have, no matter what is going on around me or in my life, it is knowing that because of Jesus it is well with my soul. There is nothing that can snatch me from His hands, nothing that can pull me from His arms. When I gave Him my life so many years ago we made a covenant that cannot be broken. I don't always live up to my end of the deal, but He never fails at His end. That's why I can say with confidence it is well with my soul. My heart may be broken and maimed, my mind may be clouded and unable to reason correctly, my body may be sick and in need of help, but still I know that it is well with my soul. I am my Beloved's and He is mine and it is well with my soul. Oh the peace and comfort that washes over me when I remember that! Jesus is still with me, He still walks beside me and carries me when I can no longer go on, and He is still the Friend Who sticks closer than a brother, the Shepherd Who guards His sheep, the Savior Who redeems and heals. What a wonderful Savior He is and how wonderful to know that because of Him it is well with my soul.

Words

Though these words are not my own they are very much a comfort to me at this moment.

You say you lost your hope; What's the point in going on and on?
At the end of your rope, You just want to let go and fall,
'Cause this complicated life Gets too hard to understand;
The pain is like a knife, Destroying all your plans;
And you're spinning into nowhere, And losing all control,
'Cause there's just too many scars On your body and your soul.

But in the middle of it all, In the middle of the darkest night
Lift your head and tell your heart To walk by faith and not by sight.
In the middle of it all
There's a loving God Who's holding out His hand,
And if you reach for Him He'll catch you when you fall
In the middle of it all.

You say you're doing fine, And even though you always wear a smile
Deep inside your mind You haven't been at peace for quite a while.
When everybody leaves And you're left to face the fears
All those things that you believe Are no longer very clear.
And you're haunted by the failures And the insecurities
And the shadows fall so hard That it drives you to your knees

In the middle of the secret shame, in the shadow of the private pain,
All across your broken dreams, in the middle of it all

But in the middle of it all, In the middle of the darkest night
Lift your head and tell your heart To walk by faith and not by sight.
In the middle of it all
There's a loving God Who's holding out His hand,
And if you reach for Him He'll catch you when you fall
In the middle of it all.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.