Eight years ago, as I was struggling to find answers to my downward health spiral, I met one of the most influential people of my life. A bright, bubbly young girl, who had very similar health symptoms as my own, was a frequent visitor to many of the same chat rooms I visited. Her screen name was "Trading Sorrows". I always assumed her screen name meant she would trade sorrows with whomever she chatted with. One day while visiting a chat room, I read on her signature line an explanation of her screen name: "I'm trading my sorrows for the joy of the Lord." Instantly, her screen name had so much depth and meaning. My dear friend never "traded sorrows" with anyone. Instead, she was always a ray of bright light when our health often failed us. I always wanted to ask my friend about her screen name. How did she come up with the name? Was there any other meaning to the name? However, we never had that conversation before she passed away nearly two years ago.
This week, I discovered an amazing preacher online. Intrigued by his YouTube videos, I decided to visit his family's ministry page. On the homepage, there was a beautiful video message by the preacher's wife. The family had endured financial and legal hardships which destroyed their ministry. Now, the family was again trying to rebuild their lives and their ministry. In the middle of the video, the wife mentioned a song which helps her get through the tough times. "There is a song called Trading My Sorrow which has the lyrics, 'I am pressed but not crushed; persecuted not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed...'" I abruptly stopped the video. "Did she just say there was a song called Trading My Sorrow?" Instantly, I thought about my friend's screen name. Immediately, I clicked open a new webpage and searched YouTube for the song. In a split second, the song, Trading My Sorrow, popped up on my screen.
As I listened to the lyrics, I nearly started crying as I thought about my friend. The song began: "I'm trading my sorrows; I'm trading my shame; I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord." This was the answer to my questions about my friend's screen name! Oh, how joyful and grateful I was...I am for this knowledge. I dearly miss my friend and to learn one more thing about her life on the almost two year anniversary of her death is ever so precious. Additionally, the song lyrics continue with what I have been trying to do for so many years: "I'm trading my sickness; I'm trading my pain; I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord." The song resonates deep within me. I imagine my friend listening to this song as she endured a hospitalization or a bad day of health. Just listening to the song feels as though I am sharing in one last memory with my friend.
As if all this was not enough, God gave me one more sweet blessing. My church has hundreds, perhaps thousands of songs which it can choose to sing at its services. As I looked at this week's bulletin, the third song during service was Trading My Sorrow. As the congregation sang the song, tears sprang to my eyes; it was as if they were singing one last tribute to my friend...my friend who was always full of the joy of the Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment