I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share with you the story behind one of my most personally beloved songs – "I Will Sing" – from the studio recording "I Cry Holy." You see, this song came to me on January 29, 2004, and it's a testament to the truth that we all face battles in this life, but we have the power to choose whether we'll live as victims or as victors. Ah, but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, aren't I? Let me start at the beginning.
As you all know, I firmly believe that God wastes nothing – not our sorrows, not our wounds, not even our failures. And that's a truth I've come to know in the deepest recesses of my own heart. You see, there was a time in 1981 when I tried to take my own life, but God intervened in a mighty way. And you know what happened next? He began to pour music into my life!
But you know, the story behind "I Will Sing" is a bit more personal, even if it is 20 years old now. It was on January 29, 2004 that this song came to me, during a time when I felt very much under attack by the enemy. But when are we not, am I right?
You see, sometimes it's the little things in life that can really get us down, isn't it? The day-to-day annoyances, the nagging concerns – they can build up like a dam, blocking the flow of God's grace in our lives. But you know what I did? I went back to the tried and true – I started worshiping, singing, and rejoicing in my God, in spite of those "little things"! Because at the end of the day, we deserve death and hell for our sin, but instead, we receive grace and mercy. And that is the very reason I want to sing!
You see, when we humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God, when we cast our anxieties upon Him, He lifts us up. He becomes our stronghold, our refuge in the day of distress. And so, my friends, I encourage you – don't let the small annoyances of life get you down. Sing to the Lord! Because when we do, He begins a healing work in our souls that lasts a lifetime. Just like He did for me when I first sang "I Will Sing" all those years ago.
Psalm 59:16-17 NASB
16 But as for me,
I shall sing of Your strength;
Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.
1 Peter 5:6-7 NASB
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Let’s take a few minutes and just our souls sing with joy for the fact that Jesus has won the victory for us and the He loves us so massively our human minds cannot begin to fully understand it. But isn’t it fun trying? Come and join me and let’s sing for the joy such knowledge brings to our hearts. Use the link provided below to hear the song, “I Will Sing”, from The Dennis Jernigan Podcast version of this blog.
Dennis Jernigan
Podcast link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/i-will-sing-111344202
Photo courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/people-woman-dark-night-worship-2590551/