Hurtin' Music
by Lori Doner Jones
I love country music. There it is – my confession, that I am a lover of country music.
As a child my dad used to make us listen to country music on road trips, and I always hated it. He called it “hurtin’ music” and in fact, it felt like it did hurt me to listen to it. But somehow, like it was baked into my skin, by the time I was in my 20’s I had learned to love it. By then, it was less my dad’s twangy “hurtin' music" and more an updated version, but nonetheless they were still wearing cowboy hats and singing about the same simplistic old, “my wife left, and took the dog with her” lyrics!
In 1990, Garth Brooks released a song called “Unanswered Prayers” where he describes a moment of realization at a football game, that sometimes the unanswered prayers of life, are in fact, a blessing.
“Sometimes I thank God
For unanswered prayers
Remember when you're talkin'
To the man upstairs
That just because he doesn't answer doesn't mean he don't care
'Cause some of God's greatest gifts
Are unanswered prayers”
Ah Garth ...truly a timeless genius!
I think as Christians we can relate to the idea that sometimes our unanswered prayer was actually a blessing... BUT maybe, what we don’t anticipate or discuss as believers, is the moment where we see God answer our prayers but it’s nothing like we asked for, and maybe feels more like a curse or a punishment from God. Maybe He gives you your desire, but the cost is severe, and almost too high a price to pay. Maybe you wanted your prayer answered in your way, and right now, you can't see His plan.
We think answered prayer is going to be a celebration, but sometimes it’s a struggle.
My good friend Deborah recently told me this is what it is to “Suffer in His Glory”.
That phrase has given me some pause to think as of late.... What is it to ‘Suffer in His Glory”? It makes a far less catchy country song title doesn’t it?
Sometimes as He’s revealing Himself, as He’s answering the prayer so close to our heart, there’s unbearable suffering that we did not expect, or want, as His plan collides with our desires. Over the summer, I spent some time in Mark Batterson’s book “Draw the Circle” where he discusses “praying for your Jericho”- the obstacle or thing in your life that needs divine intervention in which to experience a breakthrough. Your Jericho, is the prayer that seems insurmountable, unattainable... unfixable... unless God obliterates the walls separating you from your triumph; unless God steps in and hands you a victory.
Here’s the truth I think we miss in the Jericho story: the Israelites needed to participate – they needed to walk around those walls in obedience, even when it made no sense. They needed to step out in faith, and when God brought those walls down, as ONLY He could, His people came face to face with their enemy. Though their victory was promised, they still had to fight. There was still a battle.
God could have destroyed their enemy for them. He could have burned Jericho down at any time without any assistance from the Israelites. He’s God ! He didn’t need them to walk around the walls – so why did He ask them to? God answered their prayer - He was giving them their promised land, finally after years in the wilderness, but they still needed to take it. When the walls of Jericho fell – the battle had just begun.
I think sometimes we feel like God is going to hand us our Jericho, and we won’t have to get dirty or do any work; that we won’t have to face our enemy.
Instead, He promises our victory, but says “go take what I gave you”, knowing the fight will make us strong, and prepare us for the next battle. In this, He is teaching us, that we will need to step out in faith and learn to trust and rely on Him for every step along the way, even when it makes no sense, even when the odds are against us, even when we don’t want to.... even when it hurts.
Lori Doner Jones leads the Women’s Ministry at Springvale Church, and is the founder of REVIVE. REVIVE challenges women to seek God with determined purpose by being a space of opportunity and encouragement for women who are called to teach and speak. Lori is a wife of almost 21 years and mother to two sweet daughters.
Learn more about REVIVE, access its devotionals, or view its current video series here: www.readyforrevival.ca.