Stuck on the Chorus
For the past few weeks (thanks to the coronavirus and the subsequent cancellation of meetings), I’ve had the opportunity to play the piano for our home church again. While we regret that our deputation journey has been brought to a near halt, we have enjoyed being with our church family.
Last week, after playing the opening song, “A Shelter in the Time of Storm,” I went back to my pew and smiled. Though the congregational singing was over, the toddler behind me obviously missed the memo as he sang merrily, “Weary land, weary land, weary land.” It was adorable, but I quickly realized that single phrase—with its catchy tune—was all the toddler knew as he repeated it over and over again until his grandmother urged him to hush. Yes, he was stuck on the chorus, and not even the best part of the chorus. Unfortunately, I understand completely.
Yesterday, I didn’t make it to church. For the entire weekend, I had suffered from a severe pain flareup, and by Sunday morning, I was a mess. Not only did every part of my body hurt, but the pain caused me to run fevers and to be dizzy to the point of falling over. No fun at all! I hated to miss church, but I knew there was nothing else to be done. So, I lay in my bed and watched our church services online.
Today, I visited my chiropractor, who adjusted nearly every bone in my body. He shook his head in dismay, blew out sighs of unbelief, and comforted me through the painful adjustments. On the ride home, I felt just like that toddler at church. I got stuck. “Weary land, weary land, weary land.” I was in pain. I was tired of being in pain. And I was frustrated by the fact that I have no answers as to what is causing these problems or how to prevent them. As the pain, fatigue, and frustration circled around and around in my thoughts, the chorus in my head grew louder. Weary land, weary land, weary land.
It wasn’t until I got home and picked up my Bible that I could finally move past the mid-point of the chorus and get to the “good stuff” in that particular song. “The Lord’s our rock; in Him, we hide—a Shelter in the time of storm. Secure whatever ill betide—a Shelter in the time of storm. Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a weary land, a weary land. Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land—a Shelter in the time of storm.”
Yes, friends, sometimes we live in a weary land. Things aren’t the way we wish them to be, and frustrations pile high before us. It’s easy to allow our brains to get stuck in negativity, focusing only on the weary land. But we must move past that. We must readjust our thinking and set our thoughts on the Shelter in the time of storm instead of the storm itself. Doing so won’t necessarily fix the situation, but it will undoubtedly help us make it through.
Whatever you’re facing today, don’t get stuck on the chorus. Move on to the good stuff! And there’s nothing better than fixing our gaze and our thoughts on the One who is our Shelter through it all.
“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”