The Way Out

“There is a way out but it is the way through.”

Loren Thornburg

It’s normal to want a way out when things get hard.  In the midst of deep pain running way often seems the best option.  The problem however is that this is not a way out, but rather simply time away.  When we leave the pain goes with us.  Although it may bring some relief for a time what we find is that the pain does not leave just because we do, instead the pain leaves when we work it through.  The best way out is when we work through that which brings the pain.  When we work through the pain at its source, then we find a way out of it.  Keep pushing through.  It’s your best way out.  

“I’m hurting, Lord—will you forget me forever? How much longer, Lord? Will you look the other way when I’m in need? How much longer must I cling to this constant grief? I’ve endured this shaking of my soul…I will sing my song of joy to you, the Most High, For in all of this you have strengthened my soul. My enemies say that I have no Savior, But I know that I have one in you!”

Psalm 13:1-2,6  Excerpt From: Brian Simmons. “Psalms Poetry on Fire.”

God loves to give us a way out.  Yet, often it is in the midst of pain that He provides.  He doesn’t promise us avoidance of the pain, but that He will bring us through it.  I love David’s example throughout the Psalms to cling to God’s promises in the midst of great trial and danger.  We see here that David trusts and prays his way through.  He starts with thoughts of feeling totally forgotten by the Lord but ends in proclamation of His trust in the Lord.  He even says, “in all of this you have strengthened my soul.”  Not only does God deliver us but He uses the very trial we find ourselves in to bring us strength.  The thing that seems to be breaking us can in fact be used by Him.  I want to follow David and let my prayer turn me from despairing to declaring my trust in the Lord.  David prayed his way through and I want to do the same.  Let’s join David in honestly approaching the Father with our pain and then declaring with what is true.  Let us sing our song of joy to Him, our Most High God, who is using this very season to bring us strength.