Believing God will Meet Us In This Pain

I want you to experience more of my love for you.

Why?

So you can live courageously and with joy.

“Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, “‘It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” (Genesis 41:51).

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We focus so much on the pain in our lives. It can be our obsession, our idol. What if our attention was less on our problems and more on Jesus? Do you think the pain we feel would subside? Do you think life would be better then?

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In this Encounter, we are reminded of the power of Jesus’ presence. He invites us to draw deeper into our own hearts to experience the refreshment of Holy Spirit. We are equipped to withstand any trial, any hardship, because of the power of Jesus within us right now.

Are you open to drawing deeper now? Are you interested in being overwhelmed by goodness, a love that grounds you–providing hope, strength, and inspiration?

Get comfortable in a quiet place. If you can, choose a place that feels beautiful to you–or, at least, where you can settle in for a bit, hopefully undisturbed for about 20 minutes.

Open your palms in your lap and inhale, with your eyes closed, for a count of four….Then, hold for a count of four…..Exhale for a count of four….Then, hold for a count of four.

As you breathe, consider praying:

Inhale: You are in me
Exhale: I am yours

Next, let’s consecrate ourselves to Jesus, bringing under his authority our preoccupations, our worries, our thoughts, our relationships, our hearts:

Lord, I consecrate all my plans, ideas, and desires to you. I give everything to you. Everything I care about. Everyone I love. I give you every worry now. I give you every situation and pain. I give you my emotions. All of me. All of me. I give it all to you now.

(Stay here, in this space, with him for a few moments–perhaps naming specifically the names of people and/or the descriptions of what you are giving to him now.)

Jesus, I consecrate and give you . . .

Take another deep breath, eyes closed.

Ask Jesus to lead you deeper into your heart, for you want to access the deepest places of your heart where Holy Spirit resides. Remember: you are the temple of God. He is with you. This is where he wants to be.

Contemplate 1 Corinthians 6:19 for a few moments, considering the reality that God is within you. You are his temple. You are the place he inhabits. If you want to, write some words to him in your journal, telling him how you feel.

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Lord, when I consider the truth that I am your temple where the Holy Spirit resides, I feel:

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When you contemplate that you are God’s temple, what, in your imagination do you see? What do you hear?

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Where is Jesus? Where are you?

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What is your reaction to the sentence, “You are not your own” in the last part of the verse? Share with God your reactions, thoughts, and questions.

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And what does he say back to you in response?

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Finally, read aloud (and/or listen here) to the lyrics to “Manasseh,” by Anna Golden. The Hebrew word Manasseh means “to forget the pain of my father’s household.”

This is my Manasseh
You've caused me to forget
Your goodness washes over all the pain of my past
This is my Manasseh
You've caused me to forgive
In all my broken places, You're rewriting what's been written
Thank You for Manasseh

I'm so grateful for Manasseh
I can let it all go, I can let it all go
I let it all go, I let it all go
I let it all go, I let it all go
You can take it from here

'Cause it's a new season, there's a new freedom
All I thought was lost, You found and made it better
Glory to glory, joy for my mourning
There is nothing wasted, You work it all together
And it's a new season, there's a new freedom
All I thought I lost, You found and made it better
Glory to glory, joy for my mourning
There is nothing wasted, You've worked it all together
This is my Manasseh
This is my Manasseh

When your heart hears these lyrics–whether through listening to the song or reading the words–what is your posture? Open and relieved? Skeptical and unsure? Excited and hope-filled? Grateful and energized?

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Let your heart hear Jesus saying this to you now:

“You can let it all go….”

And then, let yourself respond:

“I let it all go, I let it all go
You can take it from here.”

What are you giving to Jesus? What do you believe he will really “take from here”?

Tell God about it. Write down the conversation in your journal. What pain have you been holding? How is Jesus inviting you to go deeper into your heart to experience more of him?

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Conclude this encounter with God with worship. Let your heart sing loud the songs! You might want to change your physical posture now–get up, move around, adjust your limbs in a way that feels right to you so you can express your heart’s adoration of him now. Below are some worship song ideas.

Amen.