what ministers to you?

I've had a time grieving as of late. Something happened in our family that caused great heaviness in the heart. What is the healing balm that attends the broken spirit? Christ is the balm! What form does he take to do such ministering? Christ is seated in heaven at the throne of God. I'm not suggesting modalism, simply that Christ is in all, and is all!

When Paul talks about members of the body in I Corinthians 12 he uses language like, "hand, foot, ear, and eye." We, as many different members, are all part of one body, the body of Christ. In times of sorrow, how are the different members of the body ministered to.

Does the hand have the same needs as the foot? The ear the same as the eye? The hands need protection from the cold, bandages when scraped or cut. Or the foot, does it not need a covering to pass through rough terrain? The ear needs a buffer from loudness. The eye a shield from burning brightness. Are not all these things that which minister to the body? They are protection, healing, safety, but they are all different and minister in differing ways.

The first day of my sorrow after the news I was left to myself as I worked on a friends basement. I had my prayers, my time in the word that morning, encouraging words from my wife, but my thoughts wouldn't subside. They overwhelmed me. The next day my dear wife complied a play-list of songs and burned them to a CD for me to listen to while I worked. This make a world of difference for me!

Perhaps music is the glove that ministers to this ear. Consider nature being the shoe that minsters the hurting foot, and poetry that which peaches healing to the crying eye, and fellowship that which tends the overwhelmed hand. What are all these things except channels for Christ's healing to flow!

This week I have been so thankful to the Lord for giving me Christ-saturated music to listen to, and for healing my wounded spirit.