What a Friend We Have in Jesus

I came across this song this evening while playing through our hymnal. It was a comforting reminder to me for so many different areas of life both big and small! Some phrases that I especially love are “All our sins and griefs to bear” … “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry Ev’rything to God in prayer” … “We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer” … “Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness” … “Precious Savior, still our refuge” … “In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.”

So I pretty much like the entire song and all of its lyrics! =]

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry Ev’rything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry Ev’rything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness, Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.

I especially love the last 2 lines of the first verse…how true it is that I often give up the peace of God and instead invite pain, distrust, worry, and fear into my life merely because I do not first go to the Lord and pray about my circumstance. Oh, how I pray that I would always run to the Lord first with my temptations to worry and fret!! I pray that He would break me of my habit of worrying!! It reminds me of Philippians 4:4-7, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Nothing is too small to take it to the Lord in prayer…He knows all and, therefore, He cares about all things. How great and loving of a Father we have as children of God!!! Praise the Lord for His mercy, love, patience, goodness, and faithfulness towards us.

In conclusion to express my gratitude to the Lord…one of my favorite verses ever:

Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” AMEN!!! =D