He Will Hold You
God, take away my pain. I know that you can heal me completely and if you choose not to, please give me the power to grow from the suffering.
That was my prayer in the wee hours of the morning recently. I must have pulled a muscle again and that muscle seems to be messing with a whole path of muscles, tendons, nerves... you name it. Whatever's going on, I know this: it all adds up to pain and sleepless nights.
Have you ever prayed a prayer like that? Possibly for something much more serious than achy muscles? A terminal illness or a pain that’s not physical? Often there’s much more anguish associated with emotional or spiritual pain than there is with physical pain.
Volumes could be written about the topic of suffering but I just want to approach it from one angle and talk about our desire to stay close to Christ in the midst of our suffering. And our fear that we might not do it well.
Even if your thoughts are negative toward God, press in close to Him with those thoughts. He can handle it. The Psalms are full of expressions of negative emotions. Those passages of anguish, confusion and even anger give us permission to also pour out our every thought, every emotion, onto the strong shoulders of the One who made us and understands. Honesty before God leads to intimacy with Him.
God will hold you through every valley. He’ll lead you beside still waters. He will restore your soul. He will stay close to you and He will comfort you. (Twenty-third Psalm) Our part is to simply ask. And when we’re too weak to ask, He will still hold onto us.
I have a friend who's going through the pain and uncertainty of radiation for uterine cancer. I was told that she clings to the words in the song: He Will Hold Me Fast
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in His holy sight, He will hold me fast.
He'll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
'Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
Songwriters: Ada Habershon / Matt Merker
