Worship in Sorrow
Angela awoke from a haze of anesthesia and opened her eyes. The hospital room swirled around her, as she struggled to focus on her obstetrician sitting next to her bed.
"Where's my baby?" Angela asked. The doctor began to shake her head as she quietly mouthed the words, "The baby didn't make it..."
Angela closed her eyes and swallowed a scream. At the same time, the Lord's comfort came. "Naked I came from my mother's womb," she thought remembering Job's words, "and naked I shall depart. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
The following few months she fought depression. Although Scripture was comforting, and people around her were kind, she pushed everyone to arm's length as she relived the nine months she had with her child.
Her relationship with the Lord took a step back, because she failed to trust Him. In fact, she wondered how she would ever trust God again.
Prayers to God for her daily needs had no relevance when she did not trust Him for basic survival and protection. She did not want to confess to God that she was angry with Him. She did not have an attitude of thankfulness. But she recognized that God was still the same as He had been before her tragedy, so she started with worship. As she worshiped, her spirit was renewed.
Worship is seldom the first thing that comes to mind when we experience a crisis. But throughout the Bible, worship is the reaction that seems to bring God the most glory in any circumstance.
Dear Lord, help us be the kind of worshipers You seek.
"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" (Psalm 42:11).
