Searching For Solace
Solace can be defined as comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness. As far as I can remember I first heard this word in the chorus of a Cody Jinks song called Birds. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a big fan of Texas/Red Dirt/Independent country music, all categories that Mr. Jinks’ music fits into. Words that sound unique or that are new to me, and sum up a feeling or describe something succinctly have always interested me as well. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and I found myself filling a water tank for the heifers my family and I have in our barn, when this thought came to me. I think many of us, including myself, find that we are searching for solace in these times that have been challenging or at least quite different for everyone.
It seems to me that it is so easy for us to look for solace in all the wrong places. We may find a bit of it in wearing a mask when around others during this pandemic. That’s fine, won’t hurt anything as far as I can tell. If it keeps someone from getting sick, great. It might be tempting to think that if whichever presidential candidate we support wins then everything will be fine. Some may be comforted when their favorite sports team pulls out a big victory. Or when your fantasy football team succeeds…I’m not bitter that my first stab at that has been pretty up and down.
So many things in our world today are screaming at us and stealing our solace too. We have constant access to news like never before. Whether it be through social media, TV, radio, you name it, information comes at us from all directions. It rarely seems to be positive either, what’s up with that? Covid cases are high, politics are crazy, the world is sinful, many are out of work while others are overworked, it’s a mess!
Where are we to turn when we can’t make sense of things and solace eludes us? Well, I can’t answer that question for you. You have to figure it out for yourself. All I can do is point you in the direction of what keeps me going and gives me purpose when I don’t feel I have much.
I’ve been out of work since March. I had to shut down my thriving new small business and head to the house because the state employees I serve were being sent to work from home amid the fear and uncertainty of a new pandemic. I remember talking with my employees on the day we closed, everyone hoped we’d be gone a month or 2 then be back to business as usual. Needless to say, nearly 8 months have gone by and my business is still closed. I’m ready to go back to work, I have good employees who want their job back, and I’d at least like to think those who do remain on their job look forward to my shop reopening. On top of that, my family and I have moved, everyone has had to keep more distance than usual from family and friends, it’s just a hectic time to be alive and be a young adult. Although it is frustrating to feel that my plans have been put on hold right as they were taking shape, I very much realize that I could have it much worse. I’m thankful for having my family to ride this time out with. I’m thankful for the times that I am able to spend with my friends. I’m grateful that my business will survive and be waiting when things can return closer to normal. I’m thankful that I and everyone directly around me have stayed healthy so far. Many many people can’t say all these things, and if that’s you I truly feel for you.
When first thinking about writing this I wanted to call it “Finding Your Own Solace.” I was coming at it from the direction of not relying on government, a politician, a possible future vaccine, getting a job back, etc. to sustain us. An idea I very much stand by. As I thought on it however I started to see that, at least for me, that title wasn’t quite right. I don’t want to lean on things of the world for solace, but I know I can’t make it or find it for myself either. As I’ve taken some of my time off to get in to my Bible for the first time in my life, and listen to more Christian influencers, it becomes increasingly clear for me that solace is in Jesus. It’s in His promises, His forgiveness, it’s in the assurance that He loves us and has a better plan for us than anything we could imagine if we will just trust Him. Is that easy to do? Sometimes not at all. That’s a whole separate thought for another day. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This verse reminds me that God has everything within His control. Nothing is happening in my life or around me that He is surprised by or that He can’t use in carrying out His plan for good. I don’t have to understand everything, make sense of it, or even feel comfortable or consoled all the time as long as I know the One who can do all these things. Did you notice those words comfort and consolation? Yep, the ones that make up the definition of solace. I find solace in Jesus, and you can too.
