Under the shadow of His wings

Someone we know and love, who has just experienced a devastating loss, asked me recently, "How will God help me go on?" We have been no strangers to tragedy and loss, and it is a fair question. I don't think there is one pat answer. The only way to survive the hurt is to hold on tightly to God and take it one day at a time. How to hold on tightly to God? I play a lot of encouraging music (mostly Dennis Jernigan) which remind me how great God is at preserving us in the middle of the storms of life, or which remind me of God's faithfulness, or of His never- ending love. You can always tell when our family is in the middle of a deep trial, because the Dennis Jernigan music is on from dawn to dusk. :) I look up all the Scripture I can find about God binding up the broken- hearted, and read them all and meditate on them all every day. My sister, a few years ago, gave me The Psalms of David, and I get that out and read a new one every day. The Psalms are so much more than praise songs to God; the vast majority of them are praise songs to God in the midst of the trials and sorrows of life.

But the only thing that can really heal the hurt, is to stay beneath the shadow of His wings, close to His heart, for only His presence is going to be the balm of Gilead to an aching heart. Only His presence can provide the love, peace, and assurance we all need to get through this day and face another. And when everything gets overwhelming, and you just can't seem to pray, read, or have faith anymore, I found that God held on tightly to me. He never let me go, and He never left me or forsook me. And one day, the day came, when I could be happy again. :)