THROUGH IT ALL

I am in charge of the operation of our church e-mail prayer chain. On a typical month we handle about 60 chain requests. However, during this, the shortest month of the year, we have already processed 83. That's about three per day. I share this as evidence to back up my personal feeling that I have never seen so many Christian friends going through such difficult times personally. And these 83 e-mails don't even begin to include many of the needs that I am aware of. Friends are struggling with unemployment, financial problems, health concerns, concerns about parents or even more often, children. It appears that few Christian families aren't touched with problems right now. And so often we ask why? Why do good people suffer? Why do Christians need to face such difficult problems? And while we hate to see friends and family members suffer, we do rejoice when we see the faith of these folks strengthened as they trust the Lord through the dark days. And many of us can testify how God brought us through difficult challenges and gave us the strength, wisdom and peace that we needed. A few years ago Andrae Crouch penned the words of a song that has often spoken to me in times of difficulty. During times of tears and sorrows, times of great loneliness, times of difficult storms, we've learned to put our trust in the Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. And through it all we've learned to trust completely in Him and His Word. And if you've experienced this, then you can sing this song with assurance and thankfulness.

(1) I've had many tears And sorrows,

I've had questions for tomorrow,

There's been times I didn't know right from wrong.

But in every situation,

God gave me blessed consulation,

That my trials come to only make me strong.

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus,

I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to depend upon His Word.

(2) I've been to lots of places,

I've seen a lot of faces,

There's been times I felt so all alone.

But in my lonely hours,

Yes, those precious lonely hours,

Jesus lets me know that I was His own

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus,

I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to depend upon His Word.

(3) I thank God for the mountains,

And I thank Him for the valleys,

i thank Him for the storms He brought me through.

For if I'd never had a problem,

I wouldn't know God could solve them,

I'd never know what faith in God could do.

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus,

I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to depend upon His Word.

Listen to it here. LISTEN