By Elizabeth Crawford
Jesus, grant that balm and healing
In Your holy wounds I find,
Ev’ry hour that I am feeling
Pains of body and of mind.
Should some evil thought within
Tempt my treach’rous heart to sin,
Show the peril, and from sinning
Keep me from its first beginning.
(LSB 421 stz. 1)
Sometimes during the season of Lent, we can find ourselves doubting our faith. We may believe that our faith is not strong enough, or we may believe that our faith is not good enough for Christ. Anxiety and doubt can creep into our minds as the devil spins his false tales and whispers untrue words.
This devil is always at work, attempting to pull you away from Christ Jesus.
Mental health can be a very prominent struggle for many Christians, and it can sometimes feel like there is no hope in our sufferings. We can feel like we can never do enough; we can never fulfill our duties to God, or we can never truly be forgiven. We can worry endlessly about whether we did enough to ease the wrath of God, or whether we did enough to “earn” forgiveness in Christ’s eyes.
However, Jesus has come to quell those worries and relieve our doubts. We do not have to do anything to earn our salvation – Jesus earned our salvation for us by dying on the cross. The season of Lent reminds us that Christ’s sacrifice was enough; His work on the cross replaces our anxieties and worries about being perfect people with confidence in Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
Anxiety and doubt can be heavy burdens. The devil loves to use any weapon he can to get underneath a Christian’s skin, spewing bitter untruths and seeking to separate the Christian from his/her Savior.
When afflicted, when, we seem to be drowning in our anxieties, doubts, worries, and struggles, we remember Christ who through His sacrifice heals us in body – both mentally and physically – and soul. We sing in stanza four:
Ev’ry wound that pains or grieves me
By Your wounds, Lord, is made whole;
When I’m faint, Your cross revives me,
Granting new life to my soul.
Yes, Your comfort renders sweet
Ev’ry bitter cup I meet
For Your all-atoning passion
Has procured my soul’s salvation.
Though Satan tempts and deceives, Christ has already won the victory over him. Though the devil again and again casts doubt and whispers lies, there is nothing he can do to change the salvation that has been won for us through Christ’s death and resurrection. When the battle rages, we cling to the One who has made us whole and redeemed us through His death on the cross. Sweet comfort, indeed.
Soli Deo Gloria, Amen.
Elizabeth Crawford is a sophomore at Concordia University, Nebraska, where she is double majoring in elementary education and music. She is an active member of Bulldogs4Life, the Y4Life team on campus. She dreams of one day serving as a Lutheran Kindergarten teacher and professional musician.
All hymn texts taken from the Lutheran Service Book (2006).