We sometimes wonder if we will ever again feel any joy, energy, or peace. We
wonder if life will ever again be normal. We worry sometimes that we’ve become a little bit crazy, or maybe that we are irreparably broken. The truth is that whether your loss was recent or a long time ago, you can know healing. You can work through your loss, and begin to feel truly alive again. And you can do that best when you are surrounded by the Spirit of God. And finding God in the midst of the pain and the suffering begins with the casket of loss. Finding yourself in that casket, where you’ve been waiting on God, wailing out to God, but rather than turning to false lovers who tame your soul, you turn to your untamed God who captures your soul. You worship God. In the midst of life’s losses, yes you can choose worship.
“Worship” is a common word. But what is worship really? Specifically, in the midst of grief, what does worship look like? In crying, you cry out for God’s help. In worship, you cry out for God. In comfort, you receive God’s strength. In
worship, you receive God. In wailing, you long for heaven because you’re tired of earth. In worship, you long for God because you miss Him. In worship, you glimpse the face of God. Worship is wanting God more than wanting relief. Worship is finding God even when you don’t find answers. Worship is walking with God in the dark and having Him as the light of your soul. The Bible consistently invites us to worship God in the midst of suffering. Worship as the end result of suffering has always been the testimony of God’s people. Job after all the calamity and loss that he experienced, losing his wealth, his children, the bible says this,“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship.”(Job 1:20). David says his suffering created a God-thirst. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). Suffering’s ultimate goal is worship: exalting and enjoying God as our Spring of Living Water—our only satisfaction and our greatest joy. Finding God and experiencing His love, we’re nourished and empowered. Think about the difference between the “last best hope” the world offers us in suffering and the “sure hope” which is God’s Word and way promises us. The world can hope for changed circumstances and changed feelings. Maybe they come, maybe they don’t. Either way, our lot in life is to “accept” our lot in life. We move on as best we can, making the most we can out of what’s left of our life after our loss. For those who place their sure hope in Christ and His resurrection power, the casket of loss is never final. Our “lot in life” is not “acceptance.” We have choice; we have choice to choose the newness and healing that Christ offers! And choosing the newness is choosing to worship him despite our circumstances and not giving up or giving in. It is choosing healing; healing that can only be found in God. Satan uses suffering to suck the life out of your soul. God intends to use suffering to enliven your soul. The caskets of our life losses do not have to lead to the death of faith, hope, and love; instead they should lead us to choosing to worship Him.