Post 41: Be Still My Soul

Whether you are reflecting on your past suffering or experiencing current grief, here are a few suggestions and questions. I’ve designed them to help you to move from cistern digging to worshipping God your Spring of Living Water.

Don’t try to address every suggestion. Pick a couple that connect with you.

My Worship Journey

You have two choices in suffering: digging broken cisterns that hold no water, or drinking from God your Spring of Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13). How can you drink from God?

In your suffering, what does it look like for you to admit your insufficiency and cling to God?

What do you do with the ache in your soul caused by your suffering, grieving, and loss?

What false lovers of the soul and sinful idols of the heart are you tempted to wed yourself to when you try to face suffering without facing God?

Are you crying out to God? Longing for God? Straining to glimpse the face of God?

What do you want more, God or relief?

How are you finding God even when you don’t find answers?

How are you walking with God in the dark and finding Him to be the light of your soul?

How are you using your suffering as an opportunity to know God better?

How are your problems influencing your relationship to God?

Problems can either shove us far from God or drag us kicking and screaming closer to Him. Which direction do you seem headed?

What would it look like for you to say with the hymn writer, “Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain”?

What would it look like for you to say with the hymn writer, “Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain”?

What would it look like for you to say with the hymn writer, “Be still, my soul: the best thy heavenly Friend, Thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end”?

Like Asaph, how could you reflect on your grief and conclude, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you (Psalm 73:25)?

Like David, how can your grief create God-thirst? “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:1-2).

How is your grief opening your hands to God?

Suffering’s ultimate goal is worship. Suffering’s ultimate goal is knowing and worshipping God as our Spring of Living Water—our only satisfaction and our greatest joy. How are you doing as you journey toward the goal?

What’s Next?

We’ve come near the end of our journey. But your journey of grieving and growing will continue. In our final posts, we’ll reflect back and ponder how our journey thus far can impact your continued walk with God.