My Teacher and Comforter

Recently I woke up in a reflective mood as I considered the coping skills the Lord had taught me. These skills helped carry me through some mind-numbing challenges in my life, some of which were so bad that I contemplated suicide.

The Holy Spirit intervened, however, and taught me how to create quiet spaces in my mind where I could sit with the Lord and be revived.

I want to share one of those quiet places with you today. I had a small wooden house in a rural setting. This clapboard house was perched on a hill. At the foot of the hill was a river. The riverbed was covered with stones of varied sizes, and crystal-clear water rippled over them while the golden sun twinkled in the rolling waters.

From the house a path went down to the river, and where the path ended sat a huge stone. Sometimes I would sit on the porch in a rocking chair, slowly rocking, rocking, rocking. Two or three children would be in the yard playing, and I would watch them as I rocked. There were days when the children did not come to play.

On those days the Lord Himself would come.

I would get up from my rocking chair and walk down the path to the river. I would sense Him walking slowly ahead of me as I followed.

Once at the river, I would picture Him sitting on the huge stone with His feet dangling down as the crystal water bubbled over His feet.

I would sit down then and imagine myself leaning against His back, my feet in the water. And there we would sit, held in a sweet silence as I observed the cool water washing over my feet. Time stood still during those golden moments.

I am not sure how I came upon creating this life-saving scene. I can only say that it helped me develop crucial coping skills and survive that awful portion of my life. As I remember those days, Exodus 33:13, 14 comes to mind, “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. . . .” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (NIV). Yes, My Lord and Master has been teaching me His ways, and His presence has been with me. I have learned to place my issues at His feet and leave them there. His peace, like a diamond, is most precious, and He gives it to all who draw near to Him.

Jasmine E. Grant