Tag Archives: trials

Getting Outside Yourself and Your Problems

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own world, with our own problems, that we forget about other people and what they’re going through. Worse, sometimes we think we have it the hardest. That is, until we run into somebody that has a harder go of it than us.

Our Neighbor

We talked to one of our neighbors this week. She’s had such a tough go of it. She has skin cancer and has had more surgeries done on her face than anybody should have to go through. Because of that, she doesn’t like to leave the house. And yet this week, she came outside for a few minutes to talk to Matt and I.

She told us that she has several more surgeries to go. My heart hurt for her. Nobody should have to go through that. Cancer is such a terrible thing. Her courage to stand there and talk to us and to keep fighting made me reconsider my own stamina. Our conversation reminded me that I have nothing to complain about.

Overcoming Apathy

We went home and spent the next few days getting some things together for her. So on the day of her next surgery, she came home to a gift bag of goodies, a pumpkin, and a meal. It wasn’t a whole lot, but it was something.

Getting outside of ourselves is such a wonderful way to overcome apathy. It helps give us perspective and makes us thankful for our own problems and trials. How do you get outside of yourself, especially when you’re going through a hard time yourself?

1. Choose joy today.

No matter what we’re going through, we can choose to still be joyful because joy isn’t dependent on our circumstances.

2. Choose to be thankful.

Always remember that somebody has it worse than you do. Matt and I always say that we’re thankful for the trials we have because we know it could be so much worse.

3. Do something for somebody going through a difficult time.

Sometimes, the sheer needs of people are overwhelming. It’s almost debilitating to know who to help. Matt says this, “Do for one what you wish you could do for all.” Do something for that one neighbor who’s going through a hard time. Help out that friend who’s struggling. You can’t help everybody, but you can be God’s light to one person today.

4. Don’t judge.

Talking to our neighbor reminded me that you can never judge. You never know what somebody is going through. So maybe just give somebody grace.

5. Get out in nature.

Sometimes, just getting out in nature helps remind us how small we are and how big and good God is. It helps us to realign our hearts and spirits.

These are a just a few ways to get outside of ourselves and gain perspective, especially if you’re going through a hard time yourself. Don’t forget that God loves you, sees you, and knows exactly what you’re going through today.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post, Making It Through the Storms of Life. Or check out Kay Warren’s book, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough.

6 Ways to Build Your Faith Today

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For my birthday, Matt got me a book I’ve been wanting for a little while–A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene Peterson. Eugene Peterson is the author of The Message version of the Bible; he was a pastor and a theologian that passed away in 2018. I’ve been reading through it just a few pages at time. His books aren’t something you read quickly; there’s a lot there to take in. You have to kind of work through it. But I’m enjoying it; I like the change-up from what I’ve been reading recently.

The thing I love and respect the most about Eugene Peterson was the humble life he lived. Here’s a man that translated the entire Bible into common language because he wanted his church congregation to love the Bible and understand it. He had a deep understanding of Greek and Hebrew and used it to give us the Bible in a way we could easily understand and apply. There are so many good things about this book I’m reading, but one of the things that has stuck with me is his understanding of faith and the faith journey.

When Hard Times Come

I had a conversation with a friend recently, and they said verbatim, “I thought the Christian life would be easier than this.” So many of us love God and want to grow in our faith. Yet, as soon as hard times come, we’re ready to jump ship. We get mad at God, and we blame him for everything wrong in our lives. We quit going to church; we quit believing in his goodness and faithfulness.

And yet, the Bible warns us time and time again that this life will be difficult. Eugene Peterson puts it this way.

No literature is more realistic and honest in facing the harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempt us from difficulties…On every page of the Bible there is recognition that faith encounters troubles.

More Than We Can Handle

And yet, God reminds us that he won’t give us anything we can’t handle. He doesn’t promise the lack of problems; He simply promises his presence.

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

I Corinthians 10:13 MSG

The Only Mistake We Can Make

Eugene Peterson goes on to say that “the only mistake we can make when trials come is to assume that God’s interest in us waxes and wanes in response to our spiritual temperature.” It’s that thing we do when things aren’t going well for us. We believe God doesn’t love us or is being hard on us because he’s angry with us. Or worse, we believe he doesn’t truly care about us.

But the fact of the matter is that this life of faith isn’t a giant what if? It’s not an I hope. From the book I’m reading, he says this about faith.

Faith is the solid, massive, secure experience of God, who keeps all evil from getting inside us, who guards our life, who guards us when we leave and when we return, who guards us now, who guards us always.

How’s Your Faith?

How’s your faith today? On a scale of 1-10, how are you doing?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

One: I don’t have any faith. Ten: My faith has never been stronger!

It’s funny; I used to think I was a solid ten. And then life hit. Now, even on my best days, I think I may be at a seven or eight. On my worst days, I was down near a two or three. Our numbers may fluctuate, and that’s okay. As long as we stay on this journey and don’t quit, that’s okay. It’s okay to hit a two or three once in a while; just don’t stay there.

6 Ways to Build Your Faith Today

If you’re below a five today on the scale, that’s okay. But don’t stay there. Continue to grow your faith. Pick one of the things from the list below and start there.

Listen to worship music.
Spend time with God every day through a morning time routine.
Get out in nature, even if it’s for just a few minutes.
Spend a few minutes writing down what you’re grateful to God for.
Get plugged in to a good, local church.
Read a Christian inspirational and encouraging book

This life of faith is a daily journey, so choose today to grow your faith. Refuse to be the person you were yesterday.

More Encouragement

For more like this, check out my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life.

Making it Through the Storms of Life

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The Effects of the Hurricane

It’s been raining all week here as we’re getting some of the effects of hurricane Debby. Twice in the past week, I’ve gotten caught up in really nasty weather while driving. The first time it was that really hard, driving rain where it’s hard to see anything. I was on my way to Panera to put in some writing time when I get caught in the downpour. The second was on the highway. We got caught in a downpour again; only this time, it turned into a hailstorm.

On the drive to Panera, I almost convinced myself to turn around and go back home. But I just kept going. It took a long time to get there, but I finally made it. I ran inside Panera and dried off and got to work. An hour later, I looked outside, and the sun was out. The storm clouds were gone, and I was really glad I had stuck it out.

The Storms of Life

Storms are not fun, and yet they’re a part of life. Some storms are bigger than others; some cause more damage than others, and no two storms are the same. But there is one thing about storms that always remains the same—they don’t last forever. Every storm, no matter how bad, comes to an end.

In the midst of the storm though, it doesn’t feel like it will end. If you’ve ever gotten stuck in a bad storm, it can be terrifying. Fear tells you to turn around and go home, to run, that it won’t be okay. The fear can twist us up and make us see and feel things that aren’t there; it can also heighten our feelings. And yet, if you just wait it out, the storm will pass…just like the storm when I was at Panera.

Scary Storms

Sometimes, however, the storm is terrifying; and it doesn’t pass quite so easily. We were stuck on the side of the highway for a good fifteen minutes, along with all the other cars and semi-trucks. The hail finally stopped, but there was no sign that the driving rain was going to stop anytime soon. In fact, it was supposed to continue for hours. We had to keep going; we knew we couldn’t just sit on the side of the road for the rest of the night.

We had to pull back onto the highway and continue on, even though we couldn’t see the car in front of us. It was nerve-rattling, but we eventually made it home. The rain didn’t stop that night. In fact, it’s continued all week. It’s a good thing we didn’t wait for the rain to stop, or we’d still be sitting on the side of the road.

Waiting for the Storm to Pass

Some storms last a long time, and if we’re not careful, we will let life pass us by while we’re waiting for the storm to pass. Sometimes, we have to continue on, even in the midst of the storm. It’s not fun, and it’s scary at times. But if we try to wait it out, we might lose days, months, or even years of our lives to the storm. We have to figure out a way to keep going, even in the midst of the storm. We have to choose to keep showing up, keep spending time with God, keep loving, keep serving, and keep choosing joy…even in the midst of the storm.

Seasons of Life

There are seasons for everything in our lives, and that includes trials. The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us of this.

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT

Storms are just for a Season

Everything has a season, and every season has a time. Storms are a part of a season, and they don’t last forever. The good news is that God makes an end to things. He allows tests and trials into our lives for a time and for a specific purpose. That test will come to an end, and he will strengthen us and place us on a firm foundation.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.

I Peter 5:10 NLT

Stand Strong

Are you in a storm right now? Maybe you’re in a series of storms, and it doesn’t seem like the end is anywhere in sight. Don’t let fear make you run. Keep your feet firmly planted in faith. Spend time with God each day; show up to what you have to do. Stay faithful. Because there’s a time coming, maybe in the not-too-distant future when the rain will start to ease up, the clouds will begin to roll back, and the sun will shine brightly once again.

There will be an end to this storm; don’t lose your faith or your testimony in the meantime.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post Adapting and Growing Stronger through Storms or check out our 30-day devotional, He Still Calms Storms.

When You Don’t Feel Loved

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There’s a story in the New Testament that sort of throws into question everything we understand about Jesus and who we perceive him to be. We see him healing the blind and lame, encouraging people, loving the unlovable. And then everything is flipped on its head when we see that his friends ask him to come heal their brother, and he ignores their request.

Jesus’ Friendship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

No one can argue about the fact that Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. He was friends with all of them. We get the understanding that he fellowshipped with them often. They were comfortable with him enough to demand why he hadn’t been there when Lazarus died.

And yet, when Jesus receives the news that Lazarus is dying, he doesn’t go. Mary and Martha send word to him, and he chooses not to go to them. He could have gone and healed him, kept him from dying in the first place. But he doesn’t. We see that from John 11.

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days,

John 11:4-6 NLT

Martha’s Accusation

Jesus finally decides to go to Mary and Martha. They are understandably upset and confused. Martha meets Jesus and stares into his eyes as she accuses, “If you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” That’s how Martha tackled it–straight on. We know the rest of the story. We know that Jesus brings Lazarus back to life, but Mary and Martha didn’t know that ending. They only knew that Jesus failed to come when they needed him, and now their brother was dead.

A Powerful Lesson about Being Loved

There is a powerful lesson to learn here, one that’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a lesson that all of us will learn the hard way in this life.

What God does or doesn’t do in your life is not an indicator of his love for you.

Take a moment to reread those words. Now let’s unpack those seemingly harsh words. We have a basic understanding of God that is based on a one-to-one ratio. If God loves me, he will be good to me. If God blesses me, he loves me. If he provides for my needs, he loves me. When good things are happening in my life, God loves me.

Our Understanding of God’s Love

We also believe the opposite in this one-to-one ratio. If bad things are happening in my life, God doesn’t love me. If he’s not blessing me or providing for my needs, he doesn’t love me.

Yet, we can see from this story, that that’s not always how God works. Jesus loved Mary and Martha deeply, and yet he allowed them to go through this horrible tragedy. He didn’t change it for them or make it any easier. He had a different plan, a better one; though it was not necessarily a less painful plan.

God is Greater than Our Feelings

We have to remember that how God works in our lives is not an indicator of his love for us. How we feel is not an indicator of his love for us. Our feelings will never be an indicator of God’s love for us, because feelings change all the time. God’s love never changes. I love this verse from I John.

Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

I John 3:20

God is greater than our feelings. It may seem like God has forgotten you; it may feel like he’s so very far away. But never doubt his love for you. The moment you begin to doubt God’s love, Satan gets a foothold and comes barging in, ready to wreak havoc in your life. After all, he’s the one whispering lies to you about God’s love.

Reminders of Being Loved

Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

Psalm 143:8 NLT

For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 NLT

We love each other because he loved us first.

I John 4:19

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

Psalm 36:5

I don’t know what you’re walking through today, but don’t ever doubt God’s love for you. Sometimes, when it feels that he is so far away, he’s actually working on your behalf. He’s making a better, a greater plan, one that you can’t see just yet. Trust in his love today; trust that he’s bringing everything together in your life to make it work out for his glory and your good.

More Encouragement

For more on this topic, check out my post, Living Loved or check out my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your Life.

Adapting and Growing Stronger Through Storms

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We had an amazing opportunity to visit Assateague Island yesterday. Assateague Island is a thirty-seven mile island that runs the coast of Maryland and Virginia. It’s a beautiful beach with a national park. But the most amazing thing about this island is its inhabitants. Wild horses roam freely on the island. When we heard about it, we knew we had to visit it for our horse lovers in the family.

Visiting the Island

Macey, our youngest, has been begging for us to make the trip. We were waiting for nicer weather, and yesterday was finally our chance. We drove there yesterday, unsure what to expect. The island boasts of somewhere between seventy to eighty wild horses, but we weren’t sure if we’d be able to see any. But we did, and it was incredible! We counted a total of about thirteen horses that we saw. It’s crazy because they just wander around. You can find them on the beach, in the parking lot, in the campsite, and everywhere and anywhere. We even got to see one of the two foals on the island! It was an amazing experience, and our kids are already asking when we can go back.

Adapting to Life on Storm Island

One of the things that stood out to me when we were at the visitor center and then later on the island is that these animals have adjusted to life on the island over time. This island is an island that’s seen a lot of storms. Malachi said that he read that it’s called storm island. Because of that, the horses have had to adapt. Their bodies are slightly different than that of the average horse. I am definitely no horse expert, but I read about how these horses have stockier bodies and shorter legs. Macey and I read that they’re fatter than normal horses as well because the grass they eat is salty from being near the ocean, so it makes them drink double of what a normal horse drinks. We also read that they have smaller ears because of the blowing sand all the time.

What’s amazing to me is that the storms that have impacted this island over the years haven’t driven the horses off. Instead, they’ve changed and adapted to their surroundings, making them stronger and able to endure the storms that come their way.

Adapting and Becoming Stronger

It reminds me so much of our lives as Christians. We can either let the storms of life drive us away from what God has for us, or we can adapt and become stronger. We read in the Old Testament how Joseph’s trials made him stronger. The writer of Psalms says this about Joseph:

Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them—
    Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
They bruised his feet with fetters
    and placed his neck in an iron collar.
Until the time came to fulfill his dreams,
    the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
Psalm 105:17-19

The King James says it this way:

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:

Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him.
Psalm 105:17-19

That phrase laid in iron from commentaries literally means that iron came into his soul. His trials made him stronger, turning him into the leader God needed him to be to save an entire people group from starvation in the coming famine. Had Joseph refused to become stronger through his trials, if he had given up, God couldn’t have used him in the way he did.

Growing Stronger and Adapting

What trials are you going through right now? How is God developing you and growing you and putting iron in your soul?

Rather than trying to dodge the trial, recognize it as as opportunity for growth. God is refining you, fortifying you. Embrace the process; it’s preparing you for what lies ahead.

The best way to grow through the trial is to spend time with God and allow him to work in your life. Adapt to how he’s working and choose to get stronger. Only then will we able to withstand the storms and ultimately be usable to God for what he has in store for us.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, read my post God Uses Trials to Develop Iron in Our Souls or check out Matt’s book Breakthrough.

What’s Your Cross to Bear?

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I am convinced that each of us has a cross to bear in this life. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Jesus told the people of his day that if they didn’t pick up their cross and follow him, they couldn’t be one of his disciples.

And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27

What’s Our Cross?

It’s sometimes hard to know what he was talking about. It’s kind of confusing. How do we know what cross it is we’re supposed to bear? This thought is so familiar to us as Christians, and yet I’ve never really fully grasped what Jesus meant.

But the longer I’ve been a Christian and the longer I live this life, I have come to believe that each of us is given a cross to bear. Our crosses all look different, but I believe that God gives each of us something difficult in this life that we have to choose to pick up and carry every single day.

Something Different for Each of Us

For my daughter Macey, it’s type 1 diabetes. There is no cure, and she will have that disease for the rest of her life. For my mom, it’s a lifelong debilitating disease. For my husband and I, it’s been financial burden and the weight of a small church. My friend’s cross is being single for so many years and wanting so desperately to be married. For another friend of mine, it’s being stuck in a bad marriage. Another friend of mine faces debilitating mental health. I could go on and on.

For each of us, it’s something different. But it’s our “thorn in the flesh,” just like Paul had. It’s something God gives us to keep us humble and keep us trusting in him.

Jesus taught us that we have to pick up our cross every day to be a follower of him. How does that work? Why would he say that? Does he not love us?

The Answer to Why?

On the contrary, God knows if he gives us something that’s “our cross to bear” in this life, it will drive us to our knees every single day. We will have to depend on him. There’s no chance of making it through this life without him.

There are so many questions we don’t have answers to this side of Heaven. Kay Warren says we should write those questions down and save them for Heaven one day. Your cross to bear—loss, a bad marriage, divorce, singleness, infertility, poverty, health problems, a wayward child, a blended family, being wronged…is one of those questions to ask God one day. I don’t have the answers.

Encouragement from the Psalms

I think of the verses that the Psalmist writes in Psalm 77.

When I was in deep trouble,
    I searched for the Lord.
All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
    but my soul was not comforted.

And I said, “This is my fate;
    the Most High has turned his hand against me.”
Psalm 77: 2, 11

From Hopelessness to Hopeful

You can feel the hopelessness, the sense that God doesn’t care, that he’s turned against us. But thankfully he doesn’t stop there.

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
Psalm 77:12

What was the answer to his desperation? To remember the things God has done in the past. That’s the same answer for us today. How do you pick up your cross every single day? How do you deal with whatever it is God has given you as your cross in this life? You remember what he did for you in the past. You focus on the fact that God got you through yesterday, and he will get you through today.

So you choose each day to pick up whatever it is God has given you to deal with in this life, and you choose to carry it, while following Jesus. And just maybe, lead some others to Jesus along the way.

More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my post, Handling Trials, or check out my book, The Hidden Pain.

Our Faith Determines How God Works in our Lives

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The more I live life and the more I study God’s Word, I find that so much in life comes back to faith.

The Gospels are full of men and women who had extraordinary amounts of faith. Matthew tells us the story of two blind men who sat alongside a road who had more faith than most people. We don’t know any details about them than just those that—they were blind and they sat on the side of the road. We can assume that they were homeless, or at least outcasts. They had nothing. They could only rely on the pity of others to help them out.

Their Plan

We don’t know how old they were, how long they were blind, if they were related or just found themselves in similar straits. What we do know is that somehow they heard that Jesus was going to pass by. Whether or not they planned it or they both spontaneously decided to do it, they both began to shout. They shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us.”

The crowd around them responded the way most crowds would today. They tried to get them to be quiet. But the Bible says they only shouted louder. Well, their plan works. Jesus stops in front of them and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Their Request

They respond, “Lord, we want to see.” Jesus takes compassion on them and instantly heals their eyes. After that, Matthew writes simply, “Then they followed him.” We don’t know for how long they followed him, but it was worth noting that they did.

Whenever I read this story, I am struck by their determination. It didn’t matter what anybody thought of them; they were willing to risk everything to get Jesus to heal them. Their desire to be healed mattered so much more than their pride.

I wonder how many of us let our pride or something else keep us back from getting serious with God. When was the last time we got serious with God and asked him, even begged him for something with no holds barred? When was the last time you begged God for something and wouldn’t let it go until He answered?

Our Faith

James tells just that if we’re going to come to God to ask for wisdom, we’d better come in faith without wavering.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord
James 1:5-7

Faith is so important to God. The more I read and study the Gospels, the more I am convinced that Jesus dealt with people according to their faith.

It always comes back to faith. We know this. We know that without faith, “it is impossible to please God.” Yet, we often forget and need to be reminded. God deals with us according to our faith. Our faith can be a big determining factor for how God works or doesn’t work in our lives. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my lack of faith to be the reason God doesn’t work on my behalf or my family’s behalf.

How to Increase our Faith

So how do we grow our faith? How do we know if our faith is strong enough to withstand a storm? The disciples had the same request. “Show us how to increase our faith.” Jesus answers them in an odd way. He turns to them and basically says, “If you had the tiniest amount of faith, even as small as a mustard seed, you could tell this tree to go jump in the lake, and it would obey.”

He’s exaggerating of course, but the idea is this: If you just have a little bit of faith, amazing things can happen. Why? Because it’s God we’re talking about. God can do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to Ephesians 3:20. We just have to do the first part…ask. And when we do ask, we have to ask in faith.

*Here’s a fun side note. Did you know? Mustard seed plants can grow to be twenty feet tall? Pretty amazing from such a tiny seed!

I don’t pretend to know how God works. Why he answers some prayers and leaves others seemingly unanswered. Why he meets some needs and seemingly not others. What I do know is that God will always work according to our faith, so let’s not give him any reason not to work in our lives. Let’s have the faith to believe that he’s going to come through for us in this season, just like he did in the last season. We may not see it yet, but we can believe it!

More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post The Eight-Step Process of Faith. A great book on faith is The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

When Trials Knock Your Feet Out From Under You

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Have you ever been at a place in your life when you feel that you can’t tell which way is up anymore? The trials just keep coming. Life has knocked you down, and it feels like the hits just keep coming?

Job’s Humanity

I’ve been doing a study in the book of Job. Every time I read about Job, I am reminded how desperately human he was. The words that pour from his mouth show his humanness. There are so many verses in Job that are so accurate at putting grief and pain into words.

An example can be found in chapter three.

What I always feared has happened to me.
What I dreaded has come true.
I have no peace, no quietness.
I have no rest; only trouble comes.
Job 3:25,26

Don’t those words so accurately describe the feelings we have when we’re going through something that is just too much? As painful as Job’s story is, there is such beauty in his writing.

Bitterness of Soul

One of the verses that caught my attention this week comes from chapter twenty-seven.

I vow by the living God, who has taken away my rights,
by the Almighty who has embittered my soul—
Job 27:2 NLT

That phrase embittered my soul really encapsulates the feelings we go experience when we’re in the middle of a trial. The King James Version puts it this way:

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
Job 27:2 KJV

The word vex means “to make bitter,” and embittered means “anger or resentment at having been treated unfairly.” If we’re honest with ourselves, isn’t that exactly what we feel when God allows us to go through something that tests us to the very core of our faith? We would never say it out loud, but at night when it’s quiet and we’re all alone, those thoughts come to the surface. We feel that God has treated us unfairly, and we don’t know if we’re going to get through what we’re going through.

Reminder for Today

I don’t know what trials you’re facing today, but I know a little about what it’s like to feel like God has forgotten you, like he’s turned his back on you. God got me through that dark time in my life, and you can read about it in the book I wrote. But I’m here to remind you today that this is not the end of your story. God will get you through this.

I am here to remind you that God has not forgotten you. He sees you, and he knows what you’re going through. You are not alone. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but he’s right there with you and he’s not going anywhere. He hears you and will answer you when you cry out to him.

For More Encouragement

If you’re are in a trial right now and feel so alone, check out our devotional You Are Not Alone. It’s a thirty-day devotional with readings each day and verses to remind you that you aren’t alone even in the midst of life’s hard.

You can also read my post Handling Trials.

Getting Stuck in the Dark and Waiting for the Dawn to Break

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the light of the sunrise after the dark — sunrise at the beach

Watching the Sunrise

One of my most favorite things to see and experience is a gorgeous sunrise. There is something so breathtaking about watching the sky go from dark to a little bit of light. Eventually that light begins to grow. Colors begin to streak across the horizon. Brilliant pinks and oranges and yellows break through where once the darkness stood. Then, if you wait long enough, a huge burning ball of light rises and slowly begins its ascension into the sky.

It’s an amazing process to watch, one that takes my breath away every single time. It’s the most spectacular to watch on the beach. The crazy thing about it is that it seems to go slow when you’re watching it. It seems to take forever for the sun to get in the sky if you are a bystander watching. However, if you’re at home, not paying attention, or still sleeping, it’s over and done so fast. If you don’t plan to watch it, to get there early to see it, you will wake up and it’s gone. The sun will be in the sky and there will be no signs of the brilliance that took place just a few minutes or hours before.

watching the sun come up after the dark — Matt and I watching the sun come up

Watching God Work

Watching God work in our lives is kind of like watching that sunrise. Only you get the front row seat to watch what God’s taking you through. Nobody else can fully see your pain, can understand the hurt, or imagine what you’re going through. To everybody else watching, they will simply see you in a season of darkness for a time until you come out on the other side, and they see the sun shining brightly. They miss the process; they miss the beauty of it.

Waiting for the Dark to Dispel

In our own lives, if we’re not careful, we miss it as well. God takes us into a season of trial, and it gets dark. Really dark. It’s the kind of darkness where you can’t see your hand in front of your face. In a spiritual sense, your hand becomes God’s goodness. In a season of dark, you can no longer see God’s goodness. It feels so far away. Further away still is his love. We can’t see anything but the trial in front of us.

Like the sunrise, if we wait long enough, if we hold on to faith and keep believing, the sun will slowly begin to rise. It will take some time, but the process of coming out of the darkness and into light—coming out on the other side—will begin. It’s a slow process, but it’s a beautiful one. Along the way, we will begin to see traces of God’s faithfulness, his love, his goodness. It’s been there all along, but we just couldn’t see it. As God begins to work, we will see his hand once again. Eventually, we will be on the other side of the trial, out of of that season of darkness. But if we’re not careful, we will have missed the beauty along the way.

The Morning Always Comes

Shauna Niequest puts it this way:

Because this is how life is. We get stuck in the dark, sometimes for a long time. We ache for morning. And sometimes it seems like it will never come. But this is also how life is. Dawn always breaks. Morning always comes.
From I Guess I Haven’t Learned that Yet by Shauna Niequiest

David put it this way:

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13 KJV

God’s Goodness and Unfailing Love

If you are in a season of dark right now, if if seems like your hope is gone, let me encourage you with these words.

For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation
Psalm 100:5

God has not forgotten you; he sees you and hears you. His unfailing love and faithfulness still wrap around you today. You may not be able to see it right now; your faith may not be strong enough to feel it right now. That’s okay. You can borrow some of my faith for today. When your faith isn’t strong enough, lean on somebody else’s faith until you can stand back on your own. I’ve done that so many times. So lean on my faith and hear me when I say, God is still faithful. He still loves you, and he is still right beside you. You continue to do what’s right; don’t quit. He’s going to get you through this. Don’t miss the beauty in the journey.

Seeing Past the Dark

Watch for the light. You will begin to see little signs of him working in your life after a long season of nothing. Don’t miss the little flashes of color along the way. Keep hoping, keep believing, keep growing, keep trusting. Because if you do, there are great things on the other side of this dark season.

For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!
Psalm 64:4 NLT

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement on this topic, check out my posts, When You Feel Like God Has Forgotten You and Choosing Hope—the Best is Yet to Come. You can also check out my book, The Hidden Pain: When You Fear God is No Longer Blessing Your life. It’s currently on sale on Amazon for $9.65. Another great book is Kara Tippetts’ book, The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life’s Hard. That book is also on sale on Amazon. It’s currently $9.84.

Don’t Give Up on the Dream God has Given You

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Do you have a dream that seems so far out of touch? Maybe God placed something on your heart years ago, and you’ve been following him every day but things just aren’t working out. Sometimes it feels like that dream seems so far away, and you just want to give up on it.

The Dreamer

There are some verses in Psalms that talk about the boy we know as the dreamer, Joseph.

Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave^.They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.
Psalm 105:17-19 NLT

These verses catch and hold my interest because of how things play out. God sends Joseph to Egypt not as a hero but as a slave. So, he already has a hard go of it. Then things get worse for Joseph. He ends up in prison, hence the bruised feet with fetters and the neck in an iron collar. Joseph didn’t do any of those things, and interestingly, neither did God. God orchestrated the events to bring Joseph to Egypt but then it’s sort of hands-off for a while. God uses this time and these circumstances to test Joseph’s character.

Joseph’s Dreams Come to Pass

Then, God sets things right for Joseph. Suddenly, the clock speeds up and everything falls into place for Joseph.

Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. He could instructthe king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers.
Psalm 105:20-22

God had a plan to make Joseph’s wildest dreams come true. He had such an incredible plan for Joseph’s life, but it wasn’t quick and it wasn’t easy. What if Joseph had given up? What if he had given up and walked away from it all because in his mind, things would never work out? We know just how much Joseph would have missed out on, had he done that.

Walking Away from Our Dream

What we don’t know is how much we are risking if we walk away from what God has for us. How much are we going to miss out on if we don’t stay at it, if we don’t follow the dream God gave us? We could be so close to a breakthrough. God could literally be moving things right now in your life or mine to bring things to fruition that we never thought possible. But if we walk away from it, we won’t ever see those blessings. We won’t ever see those dreams come to pass.

I know it’s hard. Seasons of trial always are. You may feel broken right now and don’t think you can stay in the fight. I’m telling you, you can. You just have to focus on staying in the fight today. Just for the next hour, the next minute. What does staying in the fight look like?

Staying in the Fight

It’s staying with your husband and not giving up on your marriage. Getting up early and spending time with God in his Word and journaling even when it feels like he is so very far away and silent. Showing up for church, even when your spirit isn’t in the right place. Praising God and singing though your heart feels so heavy it might break.

It’s smiling and encouraging someone else when they have no idea how much you need the encouragement yourself. Giving towards someone else’s need when you don’t have enough money for your own bills. Loving on that neighbor who is so frustrating and causes so many problems. It’s choosing to show up in love and faith today and live the life that God’s called you to live to the very best of your ability.

It’s simply choosing to take the next step today and then the next and the next. I call it faithfully stepping. One day at a time. One moment at a time.

The Dream Fulfilled

I wonder if Joseph woke up one morning and walked out on his terrace and viewed the whole land of Egypt before him as his beautiful wife came and stood next to him and his two boys ran around them and wondered at the sheer goodness of God. I wonder if he thought about the fact that nothing in his wildest dreams as a boy-dreamer came close to the things God had ordained in his life.

I think he did. He had to have. He was the dreamer and once a dreamer, always a dreamer. The thing about a dreamer is that they always wake up. A dream always ends and reality always comes. In Joseph’s case, the reality was even more beautiful than the dream. God wants that for us too; we have to simply continue to keep faithfully stepping until the dream comes to fruition.

For More Encouragement

For more encouragement, check out my post When You Feel Like Quitting or check out my husband’s book, Breakthrough: Transforming the Death of a Dream to the Birth of a Breakthrough.