What a Friend We Have in Jesus When Suffering Is Strong
In my 35 years of invisible chronic illness and pain, with hundreds of unhelpful doctors and treatments, my tearfully hidden pleas for others to care or notice simply had to be brought to Jesus, my Friend, my Refuge.
Precious Savior,
Our pain is intense today. Invisible to others. Not to You.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge–
take it to the Lord in prayer!
What a Friend We Have in Jesus, Scriven, J. M., 1855
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 ESV
What a Friend we have in Jesus when we think we’re alone and unloved.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13 ESV
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27 ESV
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.
Psalm 119:14 ESV
What a Friend we have in Jesus, with Your indwelling Spirit.
Others may not understand our suffering, but You do, Comforter and Helper.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
who will all our sorrows share?
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
1 Cor. 3:16 ESV
You know our hearts, thoughts, emotions, griefs, and questions. Illuminating Your Word to our hearts.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
Eph. 1:13 ESV
Stir us to tell You every little thing and to then listen to Your voice speaking back to us in Your Word, for You alone know what we need most.
Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness–
take it to the Lord in prayer!
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Eph. 1:13 ESV
Jesus, our perfect Friend and strong Deliverer, keep us from sinning in the temptation suffering brings
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom. 8:26-27 ESV
What a privilege to carry
ev'rything to God in prayer!
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah.
Ps. 32:7 ESV
What a Friend we have in Jesus to give us peace, courage, and hope through His Word as we suffer!
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Col. 3:2 ESV
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged:
take it to the Lord in prayer!
He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
Psalm 91:4 CSB
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
ev'rything to God in prayer.
I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.
John 16:33 CSB
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Col. 3:3-4 ESV
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
I’ve learned that He delights to answer our “suffering prayers” in His Word. What a friend we have in Jesus, whose spoken words back to us may not bring a change in our circumstances…but a change of His rested peace deep within.
PRAYER
Thank You for the beautiful dialogue You delight to give us as we pour out our pain to You and receive the manna of Your Word today. To You be all the glory, faithful Friend, our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
This devotion is adapted from Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering.
Lauri A. Hogle, PhD, music therapist, music educator, and church musician, heads Singing Christ’s Hope, a nonprofit ministry found at singchristhope.org. Her words and musical offerings have touched lives across the globe.
Lauri’s Bible study prayer books, including Near to God, Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, Singing the Gospel to Job, and a children’s book, In the Valleys of God’s Love, are complemented by weekly playlist gifts for suffering Christian women. Her lifelong passion is to glorify God through music, teaching, research, and writing. By God’s gracious blessing, in 35 years of serious illness, her great joy is as wife, mother, and Nana.
You can find and contact Lauri at singchristhope.org.
Are there other women in your life who could benefit from a daily dose of encouragement? Forward this email so they can click on this link to Subscribe to Daily Treasure to be better equipped to walk by faith on the pathway God has marked out for them.
Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.