Praise in the Midst of Pain

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Introduction
I came across an article titled “It Is Well With My Soul”, and it reads as followed;
“One of the best-loved hymns of the faith, “It Is Well with My Soul,” was written by Horatio Spafford. Mr. Spafford, a wealthy businessman in Chicago, lost much of his real estate holdings in the Great Chicago Fire. After the fire, he sent his wife and four daughters on a ship to Europe, intending to join them later, for a time of rest as well as to assist Moody and Sankey with a revival in Great Britain. But the voyage was struck by disaster, and Spafford received a cable from his wife with the painful message, “Saved alone.”
Spafford quickly made arrangements to join his wife. When they reached the spot where his daughters had drowned, Spafford marked that sad event with words of hope: “When peace like a river attendeth my way; when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’”
These powerful words written in the midst of such pain are a reminder to us today that, even though we may be enduring great suffering and hardship, it is not the end of God’s plan for us. Sometimes God’s children get discouraged because it appears that life is going better for those who are doing wrong. Yet the end result of both paths is already settled. Those who fear God will be able to say, “It is well.” Those who oppose God will quickly find that the end of their path is death and destruction. Keeping the end result in mind helps us keep doing right.”
It will be six months on the 28th, of this month, when my wife and I lost our daughter, Leah Grace, to a rare medical condition after she was born. The dreams and anticipation of raising our daughter were quickly crushed. Our joy turned into sorrow; our excitement turned into pain; Our answers turned into questions. All of us in this room have suffered pain at some point in our life. Whether it is the pain of losing a job, the pain of a broken friendship, or watching someone you love take their final breathes. Maybe, in the midst of your pain and suffering you are wondering, “How can I get through this?” My hope and prayer this morning is that the Word of God will reveal to us all this morning that the best way to walk through the valley of shadow of death is to praise the Lord in the midst of your pain. Turn with me to Psalm 42 as we read the Word of God.
Psalm 42 NLT
For the choir director: A psalm of the descendants of Korah. As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration! Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
(Prayer)
Expression of Pain
David was considered a man after God’s own heart (1st Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). In this particular Psalm, with the help of the sons of Korah, we see David desperately seeking the heart of the Lord by sharing his heart. David doesn’t hide his emotions. He is in pain. Look at verses 1 and 2.
Psalm 42:1–2 NLT
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
Too often I believe we as Christians do a terrible job of sharing our pain. We have some how bought into this idea that when we come through these doors we need to pretend that everything is okay. The most frequent lie we tend to say is “I’m good” or if we want to come off being super spiritual we say “I’m blessed and highly favored” when deep down inside we are hurting.
David opens up by saying “Hey! I’m in pain! Agonizing pain!” Maybe that’s you this morning. Deep down you are hurting and you are wondering where to find relief. David makes it clear that his relief only comes from the Lord. Look at verse 2 again.
Psalm 42:2 NLT
I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?
When we are in pain, we want relief.
Relief- removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing
Depending on our source, the relief we seek can either hurt us or help us. Many people with addictions (drug addiction, eating addictions, sexual addictions, etc.) cling to those addictions because it relieves the pain of their lives, temporarily.
(Example: Conversation with Young Man in the M-Team Room)
True relief for our pain comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 4:13–14 NLT
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
John 7:37–39 NLT
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
2 Corinthians 12:6–9 NLT
If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
Oppression From The People and The Enemy
In the midst of David’s pain, we see that there are people adding on to his pain. Look at verse 3 and 9-10
Psalm 42:3 NLT
Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”
Psalm 42:9–10 NLT
“O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
David has been in a spiral of grief and sorrow that he says the only thing he has eaten is his tears. He feels alone and forgotten, and to make matters worse, there are some who are adding to his misery.
In the midst of our own pain, we can feel these emotions. Many times, people, and the enemy of lies, Satan, can make it worse.
(Personal Example: Just Have Another One, God Doesn’t Trust you, You Are Alone, Blame God.)
Isaiah 43:1–4 NLT
But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.
How To Respond in the Midst of Pain
1.) Remember the Lord
Psalm 42:6 (NLT)
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
2.) Praise the Lord
Psalm 42:5 NLT
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and
Psalm 42:7–8 NLT
I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.
(Personal Song): Come to the River
Come to the water, all who are thirsty
Come and drink
Come to the table, all who are hungry
Come and feast
Oh my soul, thirsts for you
You Alone!
(Personal Song): Wait on the Lord
They that wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength They shall mount up, up on wings Like an eagle, and they soar They shall walk, and not get weary They shall run, and not faint That's what happens when you wait Happens when you wait
3.) Hope in the Lord
Psalm 42:5 NLT
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and
Psalm 42:11 NLT
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
Hope- An expectation of the fulfillment of something desired or promised.
Revelation 21:1–9 NLT
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
(Prepare our hearts for worship and communion)
(Communion)
1 Corinthians 11:23–25 NLT
For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”
Final Reading and Prayer
2 Corinthians 4:8–18 NLT
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you. But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
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