It Is Well

Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
Seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard

Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
Through it all, through it all
It is well

Through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
It is well with me

Far be it from me to not believe
Even when my eyes can't see

And this mountain that's in front of me
Will be thrown into the midst of the sea

So let go my soul and trust in Him
The waves and wind still know His name

It is well with my soul

[Kristene DiMarco, "It Is Well"]
Listen: "It Is Well" on YouTube

I keep coming back to this song. The words are few and simple, but so profound and beautiful. Through it all my eyes are on you and through it all it is well. Every moment, I am so dependent on Jesus. When my heart is broken, with my gaze fixed on Him, I can still be confident that it truly is well with my soul. My heart is content in Him, regardless of the battle going on in and around me. 

Having a good day where I feel "fine" and things seem to go well doesn't mean all of a sudden I can do it all on my own. Where does my gaze tend to fall on hard days? Myself. Where does my gaze tend to fall on good days? Myself. I either want to protect myself and give in to self-pity, or do it all on my own and give in to self-righteousness. I still need Jesus in the good days just as much as the hard days. My desperate need for a Savior and the fulfillment of the Gospel in my life is not contingent on how I feel about life or the circumstances I find myself in. My need for Jesus runs much deeper than my emotions, or even my knowledge of this need.

I have felt so weary the last couple of weeks. My heart is tender and prone to bursts of emotion and fear. While God has been doing so much here and providing so many opportunities to share His love with people around us, I'm learning to rely on Jesus when my strength is gone. I feel as though I've got nothing left to give. The Lord brought to mind the connection between these two verses this week:

The JOY of the Lord is my STRENGTH (Nehemiah 8:10). In HIS presence is fullness of JOY (Psalm 16:11). You are my joy, Jesus, which gives me strength each day. I rely on You to fill me with these two things I lack, and which I cannot create on my own. Joy and strength from the world or myself are temporary and shallow. You are forever, unfailing, always faithful, steadfast, full of love and grace, and You love me with an everlasting love. In Your presence I find joy, which gives me strength. In this, I know my deep need for you whether I feel on top of the world or far in the depths. 

My need for you never changes. Your promise to meet my needs never fails.

"I lift my eyes up to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2