Solitary Confinement

The following was taken from "Clippings from My Notebook" written by Corrie ten Boom:

I Was in Prison, but He Was With Me
 "Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9 NASB

Do you ever feel alone? What a question! Of course you do. But I know from my own experience that the worst loneliness is that of solitary confinement. Years ago I was alone in a cell for four months. One day for the first time a beam of sunlight shone through the window. I jumped up and stood so that the sunshine touched my face. Slowly it moved on and I moved too, just to enjoy that beam as long as possible.

That was one of the moments when I realized my loneliness as never before. I cried to the Lord, and He answered; "Have you forgotten that there is always, under all circumstances, the sunshine of My love? Have I not said; 'Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world' [Matt. 28:20]? I am your peace. I can give you joy now also."

I started to sing, first softly, later more loudly:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer.

I waited a moment, and then I heard from another cell:

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

It was an answer from a woman who also was in solitary confinement. Her husband had been shot before her eyes, then she had been put in prison. But she too knew Jesus as her Friend and Savior. I answered her by singing:

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

A guard banged on the door and shouted: "If you do not stop singing, I will take you to the dark cell." I stopped singing and threw myself onto my dirty bed. There was peace in my heart. The guard did not know when I sang so softly that only my Savior could hear:

Are we weak and heavy-laden

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He'll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Not only in solitary confinement can one feel alone. Often in the company of many others with whom you have no real fellowship you can be lonely. But Jesus is with you also. Have you asked Him to come into your heart? Then you can talk to Him without saying one word aloud. He hears and He loves you. You are very precious in His eyes. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

There is hunger in our heart that is never satisfied, but by Jesus. Do you feel lonesome, hungry? Do you have problems that you can't solve? Do you feel chased and you don't see a way out? Come to Him.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.    
[END QUOTE]

The song she was singing:
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