The Plaguing Question

As I was walking to my dreadful lab today, I noticed a graffitied statement on an exterior door that I've never before noticed. In bright red marker it said, "Pain plagues me like the night plagues an insomniac." Just as bright as it was marked, it slapped me in the face and even caused me to curl my brow and give a slight, "hm."

I haven't been able to get it out of my mind since, almost 8 and a half hours later. What a sad yet profound statement. I've experienced both to a pretty good degree. Not really physical pain much but more emotional pain with dealing and healing and also a great amount of insomnia. Both are most certainly connected and both fuel each other no doubt. That's not what made this statement a "hm" statement. No, see, what made this statement a "hm" statement was how true it is in our spiritual lives.

See, when we experience the pain in our lives or when we go through a time of growing it causes us to wonder if there will ever be tomorrow. A day when that won't be the case. A day when we can be on the other side once again and experience God's grace. God's rest. God's comfort. Just as any building moment, such as working out, we go through cycles of hard work, pain, and perseverance followed by a time of rest and relaxation to build those muscles. An insomniac's biggest desire is for the morning to come, for rest to ensue. It's the process and the time of waiting for the night to end that is the biggest struggle.

The night of morning, pain, sorrow, grief plagues the wearying Christian until he or she desires absolutely nothing more than deliverance--and I'm not talking about the movie...See, but here's the thing--there will be a dawn. There will be tomorrow. Morning will inevitably come. Because, if there's one thing an insomniac definitely knows is that morning always shines it's bright face after the night falls. The sun is always there even when it's hidden and rest finally does fall upon the weary. Don't give up. Don't lose heart. Stick with God and He WILL give you rest!

"The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
he rescues those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous face many troubles,
but the Lord rescues them from each and every one.
For the Lord protects them from harm--
not one of their bones will be broken."
-Psalm 34:17-20 (NLT)