Monday, September 30, 2013

The Struggle

You know those days when discouragement threatens to overwhelm you, those days where you feel so in the middle of an intense struggle that you feel you will never again see the end, those days when nothing seems to be going right, when all you want to do is cry, and hope your tears washes everything away. Yes, those days. We all have those days. It's a part of life -- although most of us, I'm sure, would say it's not such a pleasant part of life, but it's part of life nonetheless. 

What do you do on those days? Where do you go? What do you do when the tears shake your body and you feel as if you might break, or the days ahead look so dark and gloomy you feel as if you cannot take another step forward, or when everything in life seems to be tumbling down upon you. What's your response? What's MY response? 

Today as I was playing "Worn" by Tenth Avenue North on the piano, the words hit me like never before, and the tears started falling as I kept playing:

     I'm tired, I'm worn
     My heart is heavy
     From the work it takes
     To keep on breathing.
     I've made mistakes
     I've let my hope fail
     My soul feels crushed
     By the weight of this world.

     And I know that you can give me rest
     So I cry out with all that I have left.

     Let me see redemption win
     Let me know the struggle ends
     That you can mend a heart that frail and torn
     I wanna know a song can rise
     From the ashes of a broken life
     And all that's dead inside can be reborn
     Cause I'm worn.
   
     I know I need to lift my eyes up
     But i'm too weak, life just won't let up
     
     And I know that you can give me rest
     So I cry out with all that I have left.

     Let me see redemption win
     Let me know the struggle ends
     That you can mend a heart that frail and torn
     I wanna know a song can rise
     From the ashes of a broken life
     And all that's dead inside can be reborn
     Cause I'm worn.

     My prayers are wearing thin
     Yeah, I'm worn
     Even before the day begins
     Yeah, I'm worn
     I've lost my will to fight
     Yeah, I'm worn
     So, heaven come and flood my eyes.

     And I know that you can give me rest
     So I cry out with all that I have left.

     Let me see redemption win
     Let me know the struggle ends
     That you can mend a heart that frail and torn
     I wanna know a song can rise
     From the ashes of a broken life
     And all that's dead inside can be reborn
     Cause I'm worn.

     Though I'm worn.
     Yeah, I'm worn.

Is that my response? When the struggle feels too overwhelming to take one  more step forward, when I feel too weak to continue on, when I've lost my will to fight, do I turn to the One who can give me rest, do I cry out to Him with all that I have left? Because only through Him will I see redemption win, only through Him will the struggle end, only through Him will my heart be mended that's frail and torn. He is the One who can make a song rise from the ashes of my broken life, and He can make all that's dead inside be reborn, when I'm worn.

YES! I love the words to that song. It is probably my favorite song -- has been for awhile. You know, it's okay to struggle, I'm encouraged with that thought. But what's even more encouraging is THIS -- during that intense struggle, Jesus doesn't leave us -- He draws us closer to His side. He doesn't promise to take away the pain of that struggle, but He certainly promises to walk closely with us, and bear our pain along beside us. And that knowledge comforts me more than anything else.

We have a Jesus who cares. We have a Jesus who knows all our needs. We have a Jesus who walks next to us in the midst of our struggle, showing us compassion and patience and love. This is MY Jesus! 

HE can give us rest! He can allow redemption to win, and the struggle to end! I encourage you, don't try to live life on your own, don't try to face each overwhelming struggle alone -- turn to the One who created you, the one who promises to walk along beside you, showing you love and compassion. Jesus is the answer to your struggle!


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