Have you ever thought of singing a praise song in the middle of a crisis? I have. I was with my mom in the ER. It’s known to be a crowded place. But on this day, it was so packed they had people in hospital beds all alongside the hallway.
My mom was having a difficult time breathing even with the oxygen mask. She was in extreme pain. As I saw her gasping for breaths, I held her hand. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…” I kept running these thoughts in my head. “Dear Lord, I pray that Mama will be okay. Thank you for the wonderful ER nurses who are attending her. I pray for your healing and comfort over everyone, Lord.” I took deep breaths and refused to give in to the emotional battle within me.
As I prayed over her, I started to sing, “Thank You, Jesus, just as I am, I come, Hallelujah, Oh, what Amazing Love.”
As I softly sang these powerful words, I felt my heartbeat quiet down. I became more aware of God’s presence. Being in His presence encouraged me to remain hopeful and see things differently. Inside the uncertainty of what was going on with my mom, He showed me the reason I was there. It was to bring His love and comfort to everyone in that packed ER.
“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.” (Psalm 59:16-17)
Sweet friend, no matter what crisis you find yourself in, you can seek refuge in our loving God. As we focus on Him, our nerves settle down, and we are more receptive to logic. This is such a simple way to be in control of our emotions. The “fight or flight” response in our brain can calm down as we use His words in prayer. This is why I felt such peace in the midst of so much confusion. There is power in the name of Jesus and praising Him through the crisis is how we rise above it.
Our thoughts have so much impact. They determine whether we are going to face our fears by trusting in God and what He says or if we are going to slip back into old ways of worrying instead of praying. It would have been easy for me to go down that path as every hour passed. But I let God direct my thoughts. I chose to remain calm and hopeful. Our thoughts can impact any situation, even with a loved one in an overcrowded ER.
Heavenly Father, I pray that when we face a crisis, we will choose to seek You and your wisdom first.
May we remember that our confidence and peace is in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
***I wrote this devotional as a writing submission to the Compel Training community.***
I submitted it in January of 2020, just two months before Covid-19 reframed the term, “overcrowded ER.”
I pray TODAY, May 3, 2020, that God would continue to fill your hearts as you renew your minds with His Truth. May you grow closer to Him and to your families in the days ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Eva finds ways to encourage and inspire moms who deal with brain fog and constant overwhelm. Through faith-based personal development, she learned how to surrender her anxious mindset to God and now shares her journey as a Wife, Mother, Blogger, and Covenant Life Coach. She is married to her best friend, the love of a lifetime! They have three amazing kids and a young golden retriever who teach them how to live life in the only way a teen girl, two teen boys, and a rambunctious dog could! She shares her method of living based on Isaiah 40:31 which she calls S.O.A.R.I.N.G. As a Mindset Coach, she specializes in helping moms overcome overwhelm and recognize what’s been holding them back so they can get back up, make new choices, and live with a new sense of purpose and joy in life!