Inner Strength

Feb 2, 2021

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later."

- St. Paul, Romans 8:18

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."

- Dr. Seuss

In 1 Samuel 30, King David is in the battle of his life against Israel's arch enemy, the Amalekites. During the battle, David and his men had built a fortified city where he and his soldiers could live with their wives, their children and their families. Then… disaster struck! Under the cover of darkness, the Amalekites maneuvered around David and his army, discovered the city, and burned it to the ground. The Scriptures say, "they wept until they could weep no more." (1 Samuel 30:4). It was the lowest point of David's life. Imagine… not only losing your wives and children… but the thought of not being there with them in their pain… that is suffering of another kind.

Though they are up there in years, it seemed only yesterday when a beautiful young bride and a handsome young husband stood at an altar and promised their eternal devotion to one another. Over half a century they shared life's biggest moments and life's lowest moments. Together, they experienced life's most mundane moments alongside life's most exciting moments. They journeyed, together, through both the most unforgettable moments as well as the most forgettable moments of life until, with God's help, they created what their Creator God intended every marriage to be… they became One… in love, in life, in laughter. But today… even though their devotion remains… her physical presence does not… because she went to heaven this week. And so, like King David 3000 years ago, another David "will weep until he can weep no more."

But what will cause this grief to linger more than most is the sadness that she had to endure most of her suffering… alone… in quarantine. This is suffering of another kind. The isolation that this pandemic has created between loved ones at moments of crisis is both exponentially painful and terrible. The restrictions imposed by Covid that prevent loved ones from being with the love of their life when they need them most is inexpressibly heart-breaking. It was King David's absence from his wife and children in the hour of their need that moved him to "strengthen himself in the Lord our God." (1 Samuel 30:6).

Make no mistake… the promise of heaven that the Apostle Paul articulates in verse 18… that the glory of heaven far outweighs the suffering and pain of this present moment… is indeed a comfort. BUT… while we press our hearts into the resurrection promise of Jesus that we shall all be together one day in paradise… still… to address the lingering grief of watching a loved one suffer alone… something more is required to address this suffering of another kind. Like King David, we need "to strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God."

For all of those today who have watched a loved one go to heaven alone… or who have a loved one in a hospital or in a nursing home suffering alone… or who have a friend or family member in quarantine alone:

Strengthen yourself in the Lord your God by going into a quiet place and pouring your heart out to Jesus. And like God did for King David, He will do for you.