Leaking Pipes And Pipes Of Praise

"The living room leak was the first problem, as workers tore into the ceiling..."

The door swung open as my husband’s booming voice called out. Still in a dead sleep, I shielded my eyes from the hall light, trying to awaken. Groggily, I sat up. Thinking I had understood him, I replied, “I didn’t think those plumbing pipes looked secure.”

“No! You’re not understanding me. There’s a waterfall of water pouring down the ceiling and walls in our formal dining room. We have another busted pipe now from the second bathroom upstairs. It’s a new leak!” I groaned with full comprehension as I swung my legs out of bed. “Put on your robe, we have men here examining the pipes. It’s a good thing I scheduled them to come today. Who knew we had more problems? It’s a good thing we didn’t complete the first project,” my husband explained.

A few weeks before, while we were returning from a family vacation, our son informed us that part of our formal living room ceiling had collapsed, and water was pouring out of a rusted pipe from the master bathroom upstairs. Before I could even unpack or do the dirty laundry, we were moving paintings, antique furniture, furnishings, and more.

However, as the days progressed with only the plumbing portion repaired, I fell into another round of the infectious COVID. The unpacking, laundry, repairs, cleaning, and more would have to wait. My husband halted all work until I was well and COVID-free.

"I had to get well for the work to continue..."

Finally, relieved to be feeling better the following week, my housekeeper and I covered everything in plastic or moved many things into the formal dining room as we prepared for the work to continue. Or so we thought… Until the rude morning awakening to more leaking pipes and bad news.

“I’m not doing a single thing until I get my head on straight and my attitude right, too!” I reasoned. I quickly showered and dressed. Thoughts of my new women’s Bible study lesson on “enduring trials with joy” resonated in my mind. “Lord! I can’t do this without You! I need help. I need Your strength and Your mindset!” Still easily exhausted from recovering from COVID, I knew I’d have to quite literally lean into His strength. I knew He was teaching me a life lesson to endure trials with joy.

“But how is that joy possible?” I wondered. I felt more like crying or climbing back into bed and into despair. As I settled into my chair on the porch with my Bible and hot tea, the first devotional I turned to was about “trusting God in trials and praising Him through every hardship.” I knew He was speaking. Then, I read that, “Strength rises with the chorus of singing.”

"The formal dining room was a mess too..."

Here was my direct answer to that question. It was time to turn the despair into praise and singing. And just then, a text message with a worship song popped up in my feed from a friend from Bible study who was praying for me. Tears poured down my face as I sang along to the beautiful song, putting that truth into practice.

None of us welcomes or wants difficulties, but the secret to finding strength and even joy is to set our hearts and minds on God and things above. The enemy loves for us to get angry, to cry and feel discouraged, to be overwhelmed by life’s trials. He loves to attack our peace of mind through life’s difficulties. But God always wants to show Himself strong on our behalf as we focus on Him, on His Word, and as we worship God through difficulties…

Worship was restoring my peace, joy, and strength.

"I was learning how to find strength in worship..."

Now, as I look around, I may have a mess all over the downstairs, but I’m no longer a mess. I may still have broken and leaking pipes, but I’m lifting the rusty pipes of my voice to worship my God! He says that He is for me and not against me. And somehow, I now have His joy and renewed strength to face the big task ahead! His Word says, “In everything give thanks…” Not for the troubles, but IN the midst of troubles…

Let His Name be glorified even through my “rusty pipes” as I learn how to worship in the midst of trials, bringing sacrificial praise to God!

Beloved:

I know how overwhelmed you feel, but trust that I will help you. I am for you and not against you. As you worship Me, you turn the schemes of the wicked one back on his head. I give you the victory and the joy, no matter what you face! Find your strength in Me.

“Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.” (1 Thess. 5:18)

“Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials…” (James 1:2)

“Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name.”(Hebrews 13:15)