This week has basically been about how we can get direct access to the Lord. And today I wanted to focus on a section in the Bible, it’s Lamentation chapter 3. In this Chapter the author is unknown and some believe that it is a personification of the city of Jerusalem, but others believe that it is simply referring to the author himself and his own desperation.
This man speaks about all the horrible things that are happening to him and then he says in verse 22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 24 The Lord is my portions, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
And I chose this to finish off the week because there are times that no matter how hard we try or how much we pray, or how hard we are knocking there is still no relief to our suffering. We are asking, seeking and knocking and stretching and drawing near and learning and pondering and studying and yet, we still feel that utter desperation of, why do these things keep happening when I’m trying so hard to reach out?
When I was first diagnosed bipolar, my husband and I were already going through some difficulties. So this diagnosis was kind of like the last straw of our desperation. And then came the problems of trying to find a medication or recipe of medications that would work for me. I was a photographer and while I was in the hospital my husband had to go through my calendar and cancel all of my upcoming sessions and get by business in order, take care of himself and take care of me. His business was struggling and there were a lot of things going on there that required his attention. Plus we have the two boys (his sons) that required a lot at that time due to their young age. To say that there was a lot of stress was a huge understatement. It was hard on both of us. But especially difficult for Him. He was just trying so hard to hold it all together. I remember him coming home from work one day after another long and less than fruitful day, and saying with utter desperation in his voice, “over this past month I feel like I am constantly getting punched in the gut and getting kicked when I’m already down. I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I just want to quit getting punched.”
But the punches continued to roll in as we struggled through this crisis. The stress was weighing heavy on him. He wasn’t eating, he wasn’t sleeping well, and he was losing hope and losing weight! And I became extremely worried about him.
One day after much stretching and reaching and asking and knocking and pleading with the Lord. We came to the conclusion that something was physically not right with him and that he needed to seek medical attention. This was the last thing he needed on the long list of things to take care of. But he followed his impressions and went to see a Dr. Turns out he had what is called a stress reaction, brought on by everything that he was dealing with. The dr. was able to help with it and he was able to slowly get back to his normal self. He was finally able to find the “peace” that the Savior brings to us in our hour of great need.
As we close out this week I just want you to know with a surety that our Savior is behind that door. Even when it seems like there is not one more thing you can take. He will find a way to bring you the peace you are searching for. To quote Elder Holland’s words, “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. Of this I can attest.”
Take hope in the Lord my friends.
Have a beautiful weekend and I’ll talk to you again next week!
XO Wendy
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Pointing Toward Hope 