Strings of Sorrow Followed by Rhythms of Grace
“And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.”
Romans 8:17
Over the years, I have noticed that in the hardest seasons I’ve faced, there has been a deep understanding of the power that having a heart of worship plays in finding the strength to keep going. There have been times where the words were just words, but I would sing them again and again until they took root within. I believe this is often an essential key to overcoming and has often been my advice to others when there were no words I could use to bring comfort. My song of choice goes like this, “The joy of the Lord will be my strength, I will not falter, I will not faint, He is my shepherd I am not afraid, the joy of the Lord is my strength.” It becomes a prayer, a reminder that a melody can be present in the midst of sorrow.
Isn’t it true to think of life as a melody, with both its highs and lows? How we view the life we live, the circumstances we face, determines the rhythm we hear. There have been moments where I was in a really low, low place, and the sorrow endured was so thick it felt that I would never get to the other side of it. I have always described my life as a life of trial, and yet, it has been on the road of adversity I have found my greatest calling. For me, it was the perpetual overcoming that would ultimately prepare me for a calling far greater than I could have imagined while walking in the thick of it. It was in choosing to sing words that in the moment felt meaningless, that I would find the loving grace of God reminding me nothing we face is meaningless when He is a part of the equation.
One of the greatest lessons of faith learned for me was at the age of 17. I was laying in a hospital bed with a broken neck and back, questioning how a God of love, if truly a God of love, could allow so much trial through the doors of one’s life? There are moments in life we will find ourselves at a crossroads contemplating the faith question. I had not thought deeply about faith until laying in that hospital bed. I had a simple prayer to the Lord, wanting to know if my life counted for more than the trials I had known and was currently facing. The question posed to myself was, “What if God could take all I had endured and somehow use it for a greater good?” Would that be enough to trust it all to Him?
As I chose the road of trusting Him, of finding the song within the storm, I began to see how the heart of worship would lift me out of despair. It wasn’t that it gave me superhero strength, simply that it brought a perspective far greater than what I was currently facing. It is what I love about the retreats we do at Beautifully Flawed Foundation. We have attendees come from all different walks of life, levels of adversity, and through the retreats, we remind them there is still a song to be sung, a hope to be found. When adversity is at its hardest, there is a story on the other side of it being written. Trials do not wash up our hope, they are often where we find our greatest purpose.
In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 it says,
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
This is the verse God has given me for this year as we move forward as an organization. I know this year’s retreats have a special kind of importance, as I know the stories of those who will be attending. I am always assured that the Lord directs our team as we prayerfully review applications, and choose who is to be there. The adversity of those attending this year is thick, and I have seen and felt already the many oppositions that have come up in the midst of planning this year’s retreats. More than I can remember feeling before, but I have held dearly to that heart of worship, singing a song every step of the way. “The joy of the Lord is my strength, I will not falter, I will not faint.” May you find a song of worship no matter where you find yourself today, and remember that God is working in the midst of it all, seen and unseen.
I ask you to join me in praying for our upcoming October retreats. May every hurdle be overcome, and God’s hand of provision to supply for each and every need. Pray the hearts of the attendees be readied for all God has and nothing hinders that from happening. We have had a lot of requests for financial help this year for those attending. We do not turn those away due to financial need, so please pray for a miracle provision in the midst of hard economical times for so many. I know He is a way maker, I am believing Him to supply for our every need, so please join us in praying for that. We are so grateful to each of you, and cannot wait to share the stories of all God is about to do!
Aloha,
Sarah Hill
Executive Director
The Beautifully Flawed Foundation
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