My early story was tender, tragic and traumatic but ended with triumph and a testimony. The childhood memories are filled with pain, complaints and anger with God and family. I asked where was the sovereign God, the good God who could have prevented this tragedy and I questioned if I would ever recover from this place of despair and be whole enough to love?

In my questions, I discovered I was his favorite. The wrestle of doubts and joys, anger and trust, ups and downs are connected to incidents and the happenings of life. But the presence of a heavenly father who wants to heal changes the entire storyline. 

The writer of Psalm 30 also experienced this joy and like him, I can’t keep quiet. I must burst into song for he has turned my complaints into praises. How did he do it? My heavenly father took my misery and turned it into a message. What an exchange! He turned my mourning into dancing. He loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness that my glory may sing his praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. 

Our father is faithful to change the storylines of many individuals. He sets those who are captive free and those who are weak, he increases their strength. For those who are hurt beyond words can explain, he heals and restores a whole life.

I encourage you to give this compassionate and wise God all that aches in your heart. He can be trusted with your cares, your pain and your questions. He is not satisfied only to take on your cares, but to clothe you with his love, grace, joy and unspeakable peace. What an exchange!! 

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever." –Psalm 30:11-12

Written by Cheryl Williams, director of the Buckner Family Hope Center at Wynnewood, as part of a special Faith Focus series focusing on the faithfulness of God.