PODCAST
Songs From The Shadows
May 10th, 2023
James 5:13-20
When war swept 17th century Germany, many people, including Pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family, had to flee their homes. However, when Mrs. Gerhardt’s faith faltered, her husband reassured her with God’s promises of provision. She renewed her faith, but then Gerhardt himself began to briefly succumb to desperation. When he recovered he wrote what became a classic hymn: “Give to the winds thy fears; hope, and be undismayed; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head.”*
James says if we’re happy we should sing songs of praise, but how can you sing, much less be happy, if you’re struggling in some way? Actually, you can do it by applying what you’ve learned during your struggle, as did Gerhardt.
Have you had a dark time in your walk with Christ? Did you learn to trust God in some way? If so, then though you may not write a hymn, you can still share what you’ve learned. Indeed, from the darkness of the shadows in our lives may well come a song—a message that will inspire someone else!
*Give to the Wind Thy Fears by Paul Gerhardt, 1656
Author: Anne Adams
