God’s Comfort — Angelina Korotki

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
—2 Corinthians 1:3–5

In December 2016, on the last day of my first semester at The Master’s University, after the last exam was finished, my friend and I decided to relax and went to see Christmas lights and get some hot coffee on that very rainy and cold day. Riding along the highway we could hardly see the road due to that very heavy rain. Nevertheless, we bought our favorite hot coffee and went to the place where we were going to watch all the Christmas lights.

The rain became very heavy, so we decided to stop at the nearest coffee shop and wait until the rain stopped. After some time, we saw that the rain had almost stopped and we decided to continue our drive to see the Christmas lights. We had 15 minutes left until our destination, the rain had stopped, and it seemed that driving was not that dangerous anymore. We were listening to Christmas songs, drinking our coffee, and talking about our future plans. I remember watching little drops of rain on the car’s windshield, an empty intersection, and a very bright traffic light.

The next moment, I opened my eyes and found myself laying in a hospital bed that was surrounded with my family who came all the way from Israel and Canada. Not understanding what was going on, I thought to myself, “What am I doing here? I have to go back to the university; I have to pass all of my exams.”

Later on I was told that I was involved in a serious car accident and had been in the hospital the last three weeks. My friend who was in the car did not have any serious injuries because the car was hit exactly where I was sitting. I couldn’t remember anything. I could not yet understand what was going on and what I would need to go through. I had Traumatic Brain Injury, many broken bones, and half of my body was paralyzed. I underwent serious surgery and would need to learn again how to walk, talk better, dress myself, and do countless everyday things. I had to go through physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in order to get back to my normal life.

I did not know that my life would never be the same, I had to adjust to my new normal life. Many times I felt very discouraged while in the rehabilitation center. My life was divided into two parts—life before and life after the accident. My mom and dad were with me at the hospital and rehabilitation center every day. They would come in the morning and go back to their temporary home in the evening. Visitors from my church and university would come to see me and encourage me almost every day. My days were usually filled with different therapies and fellowship with people. My parents and I would always read the Bible and pray together before they had to leave me and go back to where they were staying.

Eventually, at the end of the day, I was in my hospital room alone with my heavenly Father. There were no visitors, no parents, no nurses, or doctors. I was laying in my hospital bed in a dark room, trying to scroll all the pictures on my phone (which was not easy because the left side of my body was not functioning well after being paralyzed), the pictures that I had from my first semester at Master’s when my life was a “dream come true.” My days were filled with new discoveries in a new country, new friends, constant fellowship, student life activities, music rehearsals and performances, and many other events. I had my life perfectly planned out but it all had changed in a moment. As I was laying in my hospital bed the song I Need Thee Every Hour would come to my mind very often. I remember laying in my bed at night, constantly repeating “Lord, I need You. … I desperately need You every moment of my life. I need You so much.”

I was surrounded with many people every day; nevertheless, I felt very lonely. I was in a very dark and deep ocean of loneliness. One day, I decided to sit down and write a letter to myself using some of my favorite Bible verses. I kept reading it when I felt discouraged. God’s comforting Word is the biggest blessing! His Word is true and we can trust Him, always, in any situation!

My dear child, I want to change your life. All the days for you were written in My Book before one of them came to be. I have planned everything for you from the beginning, I know that it might hurt and you will ask Me “Why Lord, Why?” But remember that blessed is the one whom God corrects. I wound and I also bind up. I injure but My hands also heal.

My child, during this time you may feel tired and hopeless, but please remember that I am the Lord your God, Who takes hold of your right hand and says to you “Do not fear; I will help you.”

My child, do not be afraid but remember that in all things I work for good if you are My child and if you love Me. I want you to know that I will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

With love and care,
Your Faithful Father

Sadly, I became distant with my friends because of the rehabilitation process. I was focused on becoming more like myself so that I would be able to continue my studies at The Master’s University and continue singing (I am a music major and voice is my main instrument). I was born in a missionary family; I had always dreamed of being in a music ministry and serving God through my singing. I was always singing in choirs, worship teams, and singing solos in churches. I remember that very often I would go to my church during the week when there was nobody there. I would turn on all the microphones and sing for hours. I was sure that my voice would always be with me and I would always be singing in worship teams and solos. I love to sing so much; music has always been my passion!

But God had different plans.

After the accident, I lost my voice, and to this day it is not the same. I have been working hard in order to bring my voice back, but it hasn’t improved much the last four years. After eight months of rehabilitation, I returned to my studies at the university but everything was different. I was different. I was not able to finish all of my homework well. My memory was not as good as it used to be. I couldn’t have the same relationships with people around because I was always stressed about the fact that I was not the same anymore; I also had physical limits.

Doctors said my body began to “wake up” after the accident and I started having burning pain almost every day. There was no medicine that could help me. I remember one of the nights when I couldn’t sleep because of the pain. It was a warm summer night, everyone was asleep except me. I was in my room with this burning pain in my body, in this room were only God, my pain, and me. I was laying on the floor and begging my God, “Lord, take this pain away, please … .” Then I was reading the Bible and listening to worship songs. As I was listening to worship songs and hymns, I was encouraged, distracted from the pain, my body relaxed, and I was finally able to fall asleep. The pain lasted for about eight months, some days it was strong, some days it was not.

Very often, my family and people from the university and church were trying to talk to me and encourage me, but I wouldn’t open my heart to them because I did not want people to see the pain inside of me and feel pity. All I was thinking was: “My situation is too difficult; no one can help me because no one has gone through this situation. No one can understand what I am going through. I am feeling so lonely in this situation.” I was often asking God, “Why Lord, why?” I was acting selfishly toward everyone around who loved me and wanted to help. I was feeling as if I were drowning in the deep and dark waters.

After some time, a woman from my church suggested that I read a book called Christ and Your Problems, by Jay Adams. As I was reading this book, God opened my eyes to this selfish attitude that I had. The author says in his book, “Christian, no matter how serious your present problems may seem, take heart! You are not alone. You have a sympathetic High Priest who can enter into all your problems, for they have been His problems too. He knows your heartache. He knows your sorrow. He knows your pain. He knows!”

The main Bible verse for this book is 1 Corinthians 10:13, where Paul says that there is no unique trial; you are not the only one who has gone through something like that. God is faithful; He will help you and provide a way that you can endure this trial. Jay Adams continues, “There’s no trial into which God calls you that is beyond your ability to withstand, instead of saying “can’t,” you should say, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

At this point, I learned a very important lesson: God never gives us trials that we cannot overcome.

God was teaching me that He can use every trial for His glory and my good and to make me more like Christ through this difficult time (Romans 8:28–29). Slowly, God started to soften my heart; He surrounded me with His loving comfort. During this trial I found great comfort in God’s promises and hymns. One of my favorite and most-comforting hymns became It Is Well with My Soul.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul”

Another one is Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace

I chose those hymns because when we turn to Jesus and focus on Him, then even the biggest waves of dark sufferings can’t stop us from saying, “It is well with my soul!” God was working on the process of my internal healing. Sometimes in this process I still fall into the ocean of discouragement, but God always raises me up again and again. I began to have bright hope in my heart; I understood that my situation was not unique; I am not the only one who has problems in my life and I am not alone. I started spending more time with other people, asking them about their trials and if there was any way I could be helpful or encouraging to them. God taught me that I can use my trial to encourage other people who are suffering. One of my favorite Bible verses became 2 Corinthians 1:3–5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

I understood that I did not lose my musical dream. God slightly changed the direction of this dream. I can still be in music ministry and encourage discouraged souls with God’s promises and worship music. I want to comfort other broken souls with the same comfort with which I was comforted by God—through His Word and His promises that can be put into beautiful melody and serve as a balm for the soul. I often call it “music therapy from God’s perspective.”

Difficult times will come into our lives, but we must always remember that God’s trials, which God sends, do not exceed our strength through Christ. They are not supernatural, but ordinary, human. In addition, we can take the lesson that God is faithful. He knows everything and is ready to help us at any time. When it seems to us that everything is falling apart in our lives and we can no longer keep going, God comes, comforts us, facilitates our trials, and He provides a way out of temptation.

Hope & Helps

Scripture I clung to on the hardest days/nights:

Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 43:2; Romans 8:18

Helpful things people did to minister to me:

• When I was involved in the car accident, my parents came to the USA from Israel to be with me and they had nothing but my church, Grace Community Church, who showed us what it means to be a family in God. They gave my parents a place to live while I was at the hospital, as well as a car to use. People daily brought food, visiting and encouraging us.
• People were encouraging me with the hope and promises of God, and motivating me to work harder by telling me their own stories about their hardships or someone they knew and how God was helping them.

What you should NOT say to someone in a similar circumstance:

Personally, I do not love when people treat me with pity. It makes me feel miserable and discourages me from working hard.

Hymns or songs that comforted me:

• Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus, Lemmel
• It Is Well with My Soul, Spafford/Bliss

The hope Jesus has given me through this trial:

I know that Jesus is with me every step of this life. Some moments it can get SO hard and you do not know if you have enough strength to continue, but He Himself said, “I am with you always” (Mathew 28:20). And I can trust Him for sure! He will never leave me nor forsake me; He gives me strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow!