Comfort in Suffering

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

Karen sat looking out at the ocean as the huge waves broke on the beach. The tongues of blue waves churned up froth and sand as they faded into the wet sand. They never ceased in their endless pounding upon the shore. How similar to the struggles she faced in her own life. It seemed as if life just kept pounding upon her like the waves of a powerful ocean. A tiny tear formed in the corner of her eye and slowly trickled down her soft cheek.

 

She thought of her faith in God and how it had sustained her in all that had happened, but she was tired. Tired of the battles she had fought recently Tired of the endless struggles that plagued her life.

 

She remembered how exciting it had been to experience the freedom from sin and the love of God in her first few months as a believer. God had seemed so real to her then. Now He seemed so far away. What had brought her to such a place in her life? Had God abandoned her? No, she knew God never abandoned His own. But how had she so quickly drifted away from Him?

 

She felt the cold breeze from the ocean blow across her face. That’s what it felt like spiritually she thought. She had grown cold in her relationship with God. She no longer felt the warmth of His love and the intimacy of His friendship.

 

With all she was facing now she knew she must seek God. But how could she draw close to someone she had neglected? How could she take that first step back to a deep relationship?

 

Oh how she wished Jesus could just come and sit by her right now. It would feel good to hear His voice of comfort, to feel His loving presence.

 

She wiped another tear from her cheek and glanced down at the beautiful red flowers growing in the patch of green in the sand dune before her. She noticed a tiny piece of paper peeking out from the sand near the flowers.

 

She got to her feet and proceeded to see what the tiny piece of paper was. It looked yellowed and weather-beaten. She pulled the paper out of the sand. Grains of sand fell off the piece of paper in all directions as she rescued it from its grave.

 

She was surprised to find that it was a piece of an old Bible. She unfolded the piece of paper and tried smoothing out the crinkles and creases in the well-worn parchment.

 

It was a portion of a passage in Psalms. She strained to read the text through the wrinkles and water stains.

 

“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.”

 

The reference was from Psalms 119:76-77.

 

This was from the Lord. She knew it. This was the first step she must take, the first step to renewing her relationship with her Savior. She must get back into His Word. There she would find Him again. There she would find her faith and find the courage and means to cope with the storm that currently battered her life.

 

She turned and ran up the path, the path to deliverance, the path to life and love. The sound of thunderous waves crashing on the beach echoed in the distance behind her.