A Song for the Night

Grief. Loss. Disappointment. An unholy trinity always waiting round the corner to ambush us. Even when we see them coming at a distance, we can never move out of the way fast enough. These three have mastered the art of leaving us completely undone, robbed and violated.

It’s easy to scroll past the pain of others, a few ‘sorry for your loss’ and #RIP sprinkled here and there and we go on our merry way. But as we all know, there comes a time when pain packs it bags and waltzes through our front doors uninvited, unannounced but very present. Very loud.

That’s the kind of personal sorrow a simple hashtag won’t fix. We cannot saunter past this unwelcome guest. We cannot confine it to one room either – pain has a way of creeping through every crevice and poking its nefarious nose in every area of our lives. So what do we do?

To be frank, I have no idea.

I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death.

I have accompanied friends through the valley of the shadow of death.

I have watched others walk through the valley of the shadow of death…but suffering is so personal, so individual. Like John Piper said, whether its cancer or criticism, pain is pain.

What I can do though is to offer you a song for the night. A song for the midnight hour when you’re left with the shattered pieces of what was supposed to be a great life but is now smashed by sickness, a drunk driver, an unfaithful spouse, a wayward child, COVID-19.

Last week I discovered Shane and Shane’s song ‘Though You Slay Me.’ It was inspired by the loss of Shane Barnard’s dad and Job’s remarkable declaration in the scriptures, “though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15).

The chorus is particularly striking:

I know this song doesn’t take away your pain or answer all your questions but I hope it gives you something to say in the deep dark nights of the soul that we all must endure at some point.

I pray that you find comfort, respite and hope in the undying love of your heavenly Father which grief, loss and disappointment cannot tamper with.

With love,

Dammy.

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