My friends and church community stood by me during that time of waiting and wondering. Their words, hugs, and presence were great gifts for which I will always be grateful. And yet sometimes in the midst of suffering, the only way to really discover that God is present, that evil and pain won’t prevail, is in private with God. That was true for me, and music became my way to communicate with God during those days.

I had no words for my questions, concerns, or what I wanted to say to God. I turned to "I Shall See God" by David Haas, a contemporary liturgical composer and musician. I can’t count the times I listened to that music as I waited to take the next MRI. The words of the songs, all about seeing God one day, helped me understand that God was right alongside me in the midst of my worry and would continue to be with me through time eternal.

Though friends, family, and church are wonderful and indispensable resources in the midst of suffering, sometimes the arts provide the deepest comfort. Music and art can speak more power powerfully sometimes than words of comfort from those we love. That’s why so many artists responded to the horrific events of the September 11 terrorist attacks with new poems and musical compositions. Ordinary words can’t always express either the sadness — or the hope — that arises out of pain and suffering. Sometimes it is only the poets, the musicians, the painters, the sculptors — those who have walked down these dark roads and found hope there — who can guide us through uncertainty and fear.

If you find yourself on a dark road, keep your eyes and ears open for a poem, a piece of music, some work of art that seems to speak to you. God communicates with us in many ways. If the arts call to you, even if you’re not sure why, spend time with them. Just as Haas’s songs helped me discover that God was with me and would always be, God may be using a song, poem, or painting to tell you something you need to know.

Resources
David Haas’s CD "I Shall See God" is a collection of wonderful songs for those who are struggling. It is available from GIA Publications (www.giamusic.com).

An excellent collection of poems, compiled in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack, is Poems to Live By: In Uncertain Times, edited by Joan Murray (Beacon, 2001).

Debra Farrington is the author of eight books of Christian spirituality and an experienced  retreat leader and speaker. Contact her through her Web site at www.debrafarrington.com

This article is published in the May 2007 issue of Lutheran Woman Today.