Let Scripture Sing to Your Suffering Soul
If you’ve experienced suffering, I imagine people said some really helpful things to you—and some really unhelpful things. They mean well, but their words can come out in awkward and sometimes hurtful ways. People said strange things to me when I was suffering, but they also said true things. True things about my circumstances, like, “This is hard,” “I’m so sorry,” and “Of course you feel confused.” But they also spoke true words of comfort and hope. Words like, “God is with you,” “God loves you,” and “God invites you to come to him in your suffering.” I needed reminders of these promises because when the darkness presses in, it’s difficult to see the light. When suffering blinds us to the truth, we need others to sing scripture to us and point us to hope.
What if the Truth Stings?
Yet sometimes, the truth doesn’t feel helpful. When we’re reeling from a tragedy, we may struggle to accept God’s sanctifying purposes in our suffering (Rom. 5:3–5). In the midst of shattered dreams, “God works all things together for good,” might wound rather than heal.
When the truth stings, we tend to avoid it. We’d rather find something to soothe our pain. So we turn to food, alcohol, entertainment, sex, retail therapy—anything that offers instantaneous relief. The relief these escapes offer is fleeting. Eventually the pleasure fades, the stuff erodes, and our souls feel the sting of unfair suffering once again.
How do we remain in Scripture and hold onto hope in seasons of suffering?
God’s Word Sings Forever
Someone once said to fully understand God’s love, we must experience both the sting and the sing of Scripture. God’s Word contains both. Creation sings of God’s design to fashion us in his image and to enjoy fellowship with him forever (Gen. 1:26–27). Yet because of our rebellion against God, we live as sufferers in a broken world (Gen. 3:16–19). When the sting of death descends upon the garden, hope seems lost.
But the song does not end here. Almost instantly, God promises deliverance and we discover all will be well (Gen. 3:15). Throughout the remainder of the Bible, a beautiful story of redemption unfolds. God pursues sinful, suffering people with the promise of his love, care, and eternal presence. Eventually, this story of redemption culminates in Jesus, our Deliverer, who lives and reigns forever (Col. 1:13–19).
Jesus took the ultimate sting of sin in order that we might experience the glorious song of eternity with him. Because the gospel is the resounding melody of Scripture, we can embrace every part of God’s Word by faith.
As we let Scripture sing to our suffering soul, we can receive the tender comfort and sure hope God’s Word provides.
Let Scripture Sing For You
Scripture includes an entire book devoted to singing. God’s people used the Psalms to worship God through songs of worship, thanksgiving, intercession, and lament. The psalms permit us to express every human emotion to the Lord. Oftentimes, those who penned the psalms wrote about their suffering, from their suffering, and because of their suffering. Scripture invites you to come honestly before the Lord. Name your fears, anger, disappointment, bitterness, and doubt through song.
I have found Psalm 42, Psalm 77, and Psalm 130 especially helpful in seasons of suffering. I’ve filled my journals with echoes of these refrains as I pour out my heart to the Lord. Jesus himself used God’s Word when he suffered. When tempted, Jesus quoted, “Man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4). When suffering on the cross, Jesus cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1; Matt. 27:46).
Allow the songs of fellow sufferers to sing for you.
Let Scripture Sing Over You
Suffering can weaken us, body, mind, and soul. When it does, one helpful way to remain in God’s Word is to rehearse the promises of God’s Word. Because Scripture is one big story of redemption, we can find songs of hope in every passage. I often listen to Romans 8 while jogging or walking through my neighborhood. Reminders of the power of the resurrection (Rom. 8:11), future glory (Rom. 8:18), the Spirit’s intercession for us (Rom. 8:26–27), and the sure hope of heaven (Rom. 8:37–39) help to comfort my soul when life feels overly burdensome.
During a recent season of suffering, I decided to stick to my regular habit of Bible reading. While plodding through my reading plan, an obscure story about King David infused me with hope.
Scripture sings over us on every page.
One day, our suffering will cease. But the song will go on. We’ll sing a new song, a song of redemption in the presence of Jesus. Until then, may we let Scripture sing to our suffering soul and soothe us with its hope.
This post has been modified from its original version which first appeared on Well-Watered Women.
