Josh Groban sings a song most are familiar with, and sings it with great sincerity. “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
“When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm, there’s a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, though your dreams are tossed and blown. Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never walk alone.”
“Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.” II Kings 20:5
“Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy Book?” Psalms 56:8
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” II Corinthians 1:3-5
How comforting to know He sees our tears and hears our prayers.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; II Corinthians 4:17
As faithful Christian’s, we never walk alone. We deal with many problems in life. Sicknesses, accidents, death, financial setbacks, job losses, disappointments and some things happen to us we never saw coming. Throughout, He is there. A prayer away, though at times it is hard for us to see through our sorrow. Nothing befalls His faithful children He is unaware of. During these times the walk can be very lonely, but He is there in the midst of our loneliness too and understands.
“Fear thou not; for I Am with thee: be not dismayed; for I Am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalms 34:4
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: . . . .” Isaiah 59:1
…and though these afflictions are not pleasant, they do teach lessons. In every sadness, hurt, disappointment we can learn instruction. It develops our character, patience, sympathy, empathy and will lift our eyes to Him, and to those things which are more valuable. We begin to study more and reflect on our ways. We think on a deeper level.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
As in the song, walk on with hope in your heart and trust in Him. ” . . . . . for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5
“Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” This is from the beautiful and immortal Twenty-third Psalm. Comfort from the Shepherd’s rod, which provides guidance and discipline. Comfort from the Shepherd’s staff, a source of strength upon which man may lean in any crisis, weakness, affliction or anguish, both bodily and spiritual.
The most untenable and uncomfortable position of any person is to live apart from God’s rod and staff and to doubt His care. This leaves an empty feeling with a forlorn outlook. But living with faith in the Lord’s goodness forbids dismay and makes for repose – “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.” ~ Leroy Brownlow
Eileen Light
1 Peter 2:18-25
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.