I have learned to appreciate every gift, big or small, that comes to me from the One from whom all blessings flow. The freedom of finding your identity in Jesus and knowing that you are a son or daughter of the King makes everything else pale in comparison.
Still, life happens, and it can be hard to go up, down, and around its curves and mountains. I know, however, that trust in the love of our Creator can sustain us during these dark moments, together with the comfort of friends and family.
I remember a big heartache I experienced as a teenager when my boyfriend broke up with me. We were with a group of friends when he told me. Since I didn’t want them to see me crying, I walked to a small park close by, and there alone, I cried.
Then, instinctively, I started to sing songs about love and hope to comfort myself. I remembered other sad events in my life, such as when a good friend died in a car accident. After I pondered each of these memories, I sang a song, and it felt like my soul was being washed by the melodies. Soon, peace filled my heart, the pain disappeared, and I was able to go back to my friends with a smile.
Eric Clapton, the famous singer and composer, tells in his biography that there was a time in his life, after his son died in an accident at four years old, when he felt so much pain and sorrow, that he spent one year in seclusion grieving his loss and playing his guitar. Finally, he decided that, to honor the memory of his son, he would write a song of comfort. He then composed “Tears in Heaven,” a song that became number one on the hit parade at the time, and is still a consolation to many in their times of heartbreak.
To think about heaven, the place where God will dry all the tears from our eyes, is an excellent antidote to sadness. And here on Earth, a song, a smile, a hug, a word of comfort, and a sincere prayer can help to bring a touch of heaven to us and others, and remind us of a God of love who will one day make all things right!