For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.
PSALM 22:24
I will never forget the time Nick and I walked through an unexpected and very challenging experience. We found out we were pregnant with our second baby, and we were ecstatic. Then one day, I went to a routine doctor’s appointment, excited to hear my baby’s heartbeat for the first time. As the doctor began to listen for the heartbeat, I held my breath and waited for the rapid, miraculous sound of the tiny life inside of me. But the doctor seemed to be taking a long time to find it, and the look on his face told me that something was seriously wrong. After several minutes, he said the words no expectant woman wants to hear: “Christine, I’m so sorry, but I can’t find a heartbeat.”
To say I was utterly shocked is an understatement; at that instant my mind was bombarded with many destructive thoughts. Could I still believe that God is good, even when my circumstances were not? Would I be able to trust him? Was I willing to apply the truth of the Word to this situation despite the disappointment?
In the days following my loss, I took care to be constantly in the house of God. It was during one of these times of worship that I had what can only be described as a supernatural encounter with God in which he healed my heart. He took my grief and filled me with a renewed hope for my future. I believe this happened because I had made a choice to worship him in the midst of my challenges and adversity.
Holding on to God in the midst of a painful season or trial might not always be the easiest thing to do, but trust me: if I can do it, anyone can do it. The same Holy Spirit who helped me is available to help each one of us.
MOMENT OF REFLECTION
Have you suffered a loss that has left you reeling? As you learn to trust God, what first step can you take to receive God’s healing?