A Prayer of Praise During Sufferings
By: Emily Rose Massey
“Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
Psalm 30:4-5 NASB
I am convinced that sleep deprivation from the baby and toddler phase is the mom version of fasting. My flesh becomes so weakened and my reliance upon God becomes absolutely everything. I cannot help but rely on His grace to do pretty much anything. If start counting sleepless nights in the third trimester (from the uncomfortableness and countless trips of waddling to the bathroom) I literally haven’t slept through the night in almost two years. This isn’t hyperbole. My 17-month-old has NEVER slept through the night. My middle son took 25 months to do so- he got the hang of sleep only six months before my youngest was born. It’s been an extremely physically and mentally (and often emotionally) trying season that has lasted years.
I don’t share all of this to complain or receive sympathy or ask for advice. I share to remind you (and myself) that the Lord is near to the weak. In your suffering, He brings unspeakable joy that is not dependent upon your circumstances. No matter how overwhelming your circumstances may feel, His grace is sufficient in your weakness. Lean upon Him, and He will strengthen you and transform you to look more like Him.
When I was praying in the midnight hours during the on and off wakings, I said “God, I know he is a gift… please help me.” And as I reflect upon this trying season, I’m realizing the ways my son is a gift from the Father, along with all my children, of course. I cannot help but praise God amid my pain, for the Lord has been faithful to me. Even though my circumstances have not changed, He is changing me. I am encouraged by these verses in Psalm 30 to give thanks and remember that joy always comes in the morning:
“Sing praise to the Lord, you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:4-5 NASB).
When my flesh is weak because of the difficulties that come with this season of motherhood, and I am humbled to my knees, by God’s grace, I am able to bear fruit and walk in the Spirit in a way that pleases the Lord. Instead of asking God to rescue me from my weeping and struggles with my son’s sleep, I find myself thanking God through tears of joy for this sleep deprivation. Suffering is a gift and with it comes joy and a heart full of praise to God for His faithfulness. May we ask the Lord for eyes to see our suffering in that way.
Heavenly Father,
I’m weary and hurting. I have asked so many times for this suffering to be removed and for You to rescue me from this storm. I feel depleted. I feel like I’m drowning. But I realize that You have not called me to live by my feelings or by what I see happening around me; You have called me to walk by faith.
And as my faith in You rises up in me, I trust that You have me exactly where I am supposed to be- totally dependent upon Your grace. In my weakness, I know that You are my strength. I praise You in my pain, and I ask that You would use this trial, this suffering, this storm to change me to look more like Christ- all for Your glory. I know that I may endure weeping in the night, but Your joy always comes- a joy that is not dependent upon my circumstances but is everlasting and sustaining even in the darkest of nights. Thank You for Your nearness to me in my greatest time of need and pain. You are a faithful Father, and I am so thankful to receive Your mercy and be called Your child.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home momma while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com
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