Another lesson for the storm...and start today

         I've been meaning to write this post for days and days...when I finally get all that other stuff done that needed doing...and when the mood/inspiration hits...and when I've dealt with all those little problems that have suddenly cropped up...and when a slot of time magically opens up and I'm not sleepy or hungry or grumpy or weepy or...Yeah, you get the idea. 
         Because here's the thing: that day never arrives.  Never.  We'll always have some reason, some excuse for not doing what we know we need to do, because God's called us to do it...but it's not urgent.  It's not easy.  And frankly, we simply don't feel like it. 
         And then suddenly it hit me--that's the very reason I need to sit down and write about this right now, whether I feel like it or not!  Because the choice, the action I want to write about is also one that cannot wait until you feel like it.  Or till your circumstances improve.  Or till that mythical day when life calms down a bit. 
          Nope, you've just got to start doing it, because despite your feelings or your challenges or your circumstances or your difficulties, nothing nothing, nothing is more important in the midst of a storm than this ridiculously simple but profoundly life-changing choice--
          Choosing to rejoice.
          Choosing to be thankful. 
          And specifically, literally, choosing to name those reasons.  Say them out loud. Write them down. Somehow, someway, make the choice--in the midst of the raging storm--to count your blessings. 
          "Yeah, yeah," you say.  "Trite," you yawn.  But let me tell you from the perspective of someone who has been there--it's utterly life-changing and perspective-restoring. 
           I've shared it a million times, but one day--maybe around day six or seven of Janie's stay in the ICU, a middle-aged man was admitted in the little room right next to hers.  The walls in the ICU are so thin you can't really call them walls, so we could hear everything that was going on.  And this man had been in some kind of accident.  Like Janie, he had suffered some kind of brain injury and was unconscious. 
          We heard them go through the same protocol we'd already heard every hour with Janie.  They'd yell, "Mr. So and so, Mr. So and so, wake up!  You are in the hospital.  Can you hear me?  If you can hear me, wiggle your toes..."  And so it would go, hour after hour.  Just as it had with our daughter.  For all those long days with Janie, nothing.  No response. Hour after hour, day after day, nothing. 
           But with this other fellow, the very next day he obviously woke up and began slowly responding in some way to their questions.  But (to my shame) instead of rejoicing for them, I felt sick with sorrow for us.  "Why couldn't that be us, Lord?   Why him and not Janie?  Why won't you wake up Janie? We've been here a week...he's been here a few hours...why Lord?" 
          My mind and heart headed down a dark, deadly path of ugliness, despair and envy, and let me tell you, that will never take you anywhere good. 
           But I can only describe it as the extraordinary grace and goodness of God, for just as my mind started down that hideous road, the Lord stopped me in my tracks.  And I seemed to hear "Start rejoicing.  Start naming all the reasons for thanksgiving.  Now!" 
           And this stubborn, slow-learning, often disobedient child, for once, listened and obeyed.  I started that moment to begin making a mental list of things for which we could be thankful.  Yes, it was a mighty weak and reluctant list at first, but praise God He takes us just as we are and blesses even our tiniest, most pathetic attempts. 
            "Umm, well, thank You for the Starbucks downstairs.  That's something anyway, to have hot tea."  I tried haltingly to continue: " Uh, thank You for these nurses and doctors.  They have been amazing....and while I'm at it, thank You for our friends who have done so much to help us and to keep things going at home...thank You for my wonderful brothers and sisters who have been here with us in the midst of this fight constantly...thank You that we could come to this hospital and receive such extraordinary medical care...thank You for the praise music playing in Janie's room...thank You for Your Word that has truly come alive as never before..." 
          By now, I was on a roll, and the innumerable reasons for thankfulness and praise began to pour out...while the ugly despair and envy began to diminish. 
         Now, that's not to say everything changed...because it did not. Janie remained unconscious for another week.  We fought fear and fevers and lung problems and discouragement and exhaustion.  But we knew we were not fighting alone.  We knew God was with us in the fight. We knew the Body of Christ was fighting alongside us.  And we knew there are always, always, always reasons for thanksgiving and praise. 
          So that's my ridiculously simple suggestion...but I'm telling you--you will pierce the darkness with words of thanksgiving and praise so that the light begins shining through and your heart will be lifted.  Lifted to look up...and see Him. And know that He is with you, beside you, before you, behind you, in you and for you. 
          It truly is a golden bridge of praise--a bridge that takes you from discouragement and despair and crosses over the darkness into the light of indefatigable joy and hope. 
          But you have to choose to cross over that bridge of praise.  And often it simply begins by taking the first tentative, reluctant step.  Don't wait to feel like it. Don't wait till circumstances improve. Don't wait till you think you really have a reason to praise.  No, simply start praising and thanking.  "Tune your heart to sing God's praise," as the old hymn puts it. 
           It's a choice, an act of the will that may or may not change your circumstances but that will profoundly, beautifully change you. 
           "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ for you." (I Thess.5:16-18) 
           It's a command...and you have to choose...and no matter the storm, there will always, always, always be plenty of reason to rejoice and to give thanks.  So just start.  Start small, but start today.  Start now. 
           To God be the glory. 

Another lesson: A Soundtrack of Praise

        Another very simple but I believe profoundly powerful lesson for the storms: maintain a soundtrack of praise.
        I mean that quite literally.  Keep praise music, worship music, uplifting music that strengthens your soul...keep it playing in the background.  At the hospital, at home, in the car.  Music--especially great hymns or praise and worship songs--has a power all its own to remind your heart of the truth.  Because in the heat of the storm, our hearts forget.
        Pain or fear of discouragement almost always lead to spiritual amnesia.  Yes, we might know intellectually that God is in control, that Jesus is with us every moment, that the Lord is working all things out for our ultimate good and His glory.  Yeah, yeah, yeah....
        But as the wind and waves lash and disorient us, we can't feel it.   We can't feel Him...and so we forget.  We all forget.         
        We need to be reminded.  And music speaks to your heart.  Music brings to your conscious memory that which you already knew, but forgot or doubt.  Music somehow reaches past the pain, the fear, the sorrow and speaks strong, true Truth to your weary, burdened soul.
          It happened over and over again to us when Janie was in the ICU.  Amidst the continual beeps and alarms of the equipment and the constant visits from the nurses, we softly played worship music in the background.  We started playing it in the hope that in some mysterious way, Janie might be able to hear it deep in the recesses of her coma and thus be somehow strengthened in her battle.
           But what we learned was that we--her often frightened, fragile parents--were the ones who were powerfully and beautifully ministered to by that music.  Because we were reminded afresh of truths like--

Lost are saved, find their way, at the sound of Your great name
All condemned, feel no shame, at the sound of Your great name
Every fear, has no place, at the sound of Your great name
The enemy, he has to leave, at the sound of Your great name
Jesus, worthy is the lamb that was slain for us, son of God and man
You are high and lifted up, that all the world will praise Your great name
All the weak, find their strength, at the sound of Your great name
Hungry souls, receive grace, at the sound of Your great name
The fatherless, they find their rest, at the sound of Your great name
Sick are healed, and the dead are raised, at the sound of Your great name
Jesus, worthy is the lamb that was slain for us, son of god and man
You are high and lifted up, that all the world will praise Your great name
Oh, Your great name
Redeemer, my healer, almighty
My savior, defender, You are my king   ("Your Great Name")

Or--
Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You've bled for us
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but Heaven's will
No scheme of Hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night
Sing it, o death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead, He's alive, He's alive
Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
("Christ is Risen")

        Oh and so many more!  Even today, when I hear one of those many glorious songs we played on that little boom box in the ICU, tears of joy and thanksgiving spring to my eyes.  I'm reminded afresh of my Great God.  Of who He is. Of all He has done for us in Christ.  Of all He can do.  And of all He has promised for us in the future.
         And it's all ultimately good...extraordinarily, supernaturally, eternally, good-as-it-gets good. 
         But in midst of the storm, your heart needs to be reminded.
         In the midst of the storm, your soul needs to be strengthened in Him...in His Word, in His character, in His faithfulness, in His everlasting love, in His omnipotent power.  Music preaches to your heart like almost nothing else, and despair flees in the face of praise.  So keep playing that soundtrack of praise.
         "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation!  Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!  For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods."  (Ps.95:1-3)
          It's okay if you forget...we all do.  Just put on those worship songs, those hymns, that praise music, and I promise, you'll start remembering.
          And in remembering, your heart will begin rejoicing.
          And in rejoicing, you will find yourself revived and restored...even in very teeth of the storm.
          Because Jesus will be right there with you in the storm...and He is always, always, always enough.
         To our Savior, our Redeemer, our King of Kings, and the One who has defeated sin and death, be all the glory.