Psalm 79:11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before Thee; according to the greatness of Thy power preserve Thou those that are appointed to die.

We are all appointed to die (Heb. 9:27), so this verse applies to each one of us. The psalm was written during a time of great national oppression and persecution for the Jews, but this morning I desire to make it personal. In particular, I wish to apply the truths of this psalm to the migraines I’ve been having.

It seems the devil is trying to discourage me with these constant attacks upon my body. The symptoms keep changing, making the migraines seem more serious than they really are. They come much more frequently, pretty much daily, and they are more intense now than before and harder to control. Satan would have me worry and fret over my situation. He would have me get my mind off the things God has called me to do and focused entirely on myself.

But I cannot do that. I must not do that. God has placed me here to touch the lives of others. My ripples extend far beyond the scope of my limited vision. This is not to say that I think I’m important, for indeed I am not. But the work I am doing is important, for it is God’s work. If I don’t do it, someone else will. But for now, God has placed it in my hands, and by His grace and through His strength I aim to complete the tasks He has put before me.

So, Lord, let my sighing come before You. According to the greatness of Your power preserve me. If these migraines are from Your hand, I accept them. And if Satan is to blame, then return to him sevenfold what he has put upon me. I trust in You, Lord. And I praise You for Your goodness. You are wonderful, Lord. Thank You for using me. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for considering me. I am unworthy, and yet You love me still.

This has been rather personal, and maybe you feel you can’t relate because you don’t have migraines. But you have some other adversity that you would consider to be your “thorn in the flesh.” Whatever it is, lay it out before the Lord, ask Him to preserve you. And don’t forget to also kick Satan in the teeth. Remember God allowed him to test Job, and I have no doubt that he has tested others through the centuries as well. He doesn’t have time to test everyone, but I’m sure he stays busy at his art of deceit and subversion.

I would like to tell you that the day after I prayed this prayer, my migraines subsided and I had two full days where I felt completely well! Did God send Satan packing? Did He pull me from the furnace of affliction and allow me to cool for a while in preparation for the next big test? Something like that. All I know is that I gave it to Him and He took care of it. God does not always work according to our plans. You may rest assured I’ve prayed every day for relief from the migraines. So why did He wait until now? Because He makes all things beautiful in His time.

And when the next trial comes, as surely it will, I will not give up on my Lord, but will trust Him until I see the answer. He has never failed me, and He will never fail you either. Our heavenly Father can be trusted. Put Him to the test. Go ahead. You’ll see.

1 Kings 8:56 Blessed be the LORD… there has not failed one word of all His good promise….

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Written October 2, 2017; answer to prayer added October 5th

Since writing the above journal entry eight months ago, I have had only one migraine headache. Praise be to God!

Photo taken at Waller Mill Park, Williamsburg, VA, 2014