By Nancy Virden (c)2023

A recent song on the radio (Air 1 92.7 Cleveland; Ryan Ellis – Gonna Be Alright) says:

You hear my cry, my deepest pain
You listen patiently as long as it takes
You whisper truth over the lies
The words that bring me back to life

Everything’s gonna be alright
Everything’s gonna be alright
You hold me in Your arms
Until my storm is calm
Everything’s gonna be alright, hmmm
Everything’s gonna be alright

You are the strength when I am weak
The only one that leads my soul to perfect peace
And I will sing my way through the night
The words that bring me back to life…

Your love will be my song
‘Til all my fears are gone…

And I believe, oh I believe
You’re working all things for my good…

As the lyricist prays to God, he also spreads words of comfort to those who are hurting. While “everything’s gonna be alright” is a platitude with little meaning by itself, this song adds why we can put our hope in God. It is not invalidating a person’s pain to accept their suffering as real, to listen without judgment, and to add hopeful truth.

God’s love, so beyond our ability to fully understand, is unending and indeed patient. To the believer, God listens and pours in truth if we will listen back. The Bible says God is far from those who are wicked (does not hear them) but hears the prayers of (is near to) those who do what is right (Proverbs 15:29). Yet he will gladly hear any prayer from anyone who wants to turn from sinful ways. (Psalm 65:2-3).

The songwriter of Gonna Be Alright knows that “wicked” and “right” are defined by God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and not by human judgment. That’s why he writes about God’s truth versus those lies we often believe. We want to think we are okay all by ourselves, when in fact, we need God desperately.

When in deep emotional pain, it is important we are reminded of God’s unfailing love that comes with truth. Easy platitudes may actually be lies in a sense, and giving truth to a desperate soul is like offering water in a desert.

In one of his songs, King David of ancient Israel wrote, “Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful” (Psalm 69:16).

For the follower of Christ, everything is ‘gonna be alright’ because our hope is in the One who never fails. Even when our circumstances are hopeless, he is not.

And I believe, oh I believe
You’re working all things for my good…

-COMMENTS WELCOME

Today’s Helpful Word

Romans 8:23

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

If you are feeling suicidal, or concerned about someone who is, in the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or for a list of international suicide hotlines, go here.

If you are suicidal with a plan, immediately call 911 in the U.S. or go to your nearest emergency room. In the EU call 112. (For other international emergency numbers, go here ). Hope and help are yours!

Always the Fight Ministries (ATFM) has been displaying compassion for those fighting mental illness, addiction, or abuse since 2012. Nancy is the founder and voice of ATFM and openly shares her emotional resurrection from despair. NOTE: Nancy is not a doctor or a mental health professional, and speaks only from personal experience and observations. In no way is this website intended to substitute for professional mental or behavioral health care.

_{HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, COPYRIGHT © 1996, 2004, 2015 BY TYNDALE HOUSE FOUNDATION. USED BY PERMISSION OF TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERS, INC., CAROL STREAM, ILLINOIS 60188, PER BIBLE GATEWAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://WWW.BIBLEGATEWAY.COM/}