You’ve examined your situation, weighed the odds and done the math in your head; life is tough and relief seems impossible. You see it in the pitiful looks and pats on the back you get from well-meaning friends and now you’ve come to believe it; what you’ve prayed and believed for just might never happen.
How often have you thought, this is it; this is what my life will be—I’ll never have a baby, or, I’ll never get that job, find love, get healed or figure out what to do with my life?
It seems daunting and almost impossible to be positive in the midst of pain but these moments are the stuff of life. Hard as they seem, these are the times when the 'impossible' happens; when God’s light pierces the darkness of our lives and our testimony becomes sure as the dawn.
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble…” It’s a given. If you’ve lived long enough you most certainly have experienced that. The part that gets difficult to believe and practice, however, is “take heart (cheer up, be courageous) for I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus indeed has overcome the world, but we will only experience it for ourselves when we believe His words and laugh despite the pain, keep trudging on in spite of opposition and praise Him in the midst of our fiercest storms.
The past few years of my life have been riddled with disappointments, dashed hopes and difficult moments. Everything that could go wrong seemed to have gone wrong all at the same time and my life looked like the place where storms go to happen. The thing is, like everyone else I have experienced difficult times before, but never like this. Truth be told, I got to the end of myself. I reached the point where I knew my strength had failed and I had nowhere to go but to God; no other rumored solution to try but to fully and totally turn to my father in heaven.
In my time of pain, I remembered the three Hebrew boys in Daniel Chapter 3. Taken from their homes and forced to serve a foreign King, they had already experienced massive pain and loss. As if that was not enough, they wound up sentenced to death for standing up for their faith in God and refusing to worship the King’s idol. Talk about extreme circumstances. But these boys trusted and knew without a doubt that God would come to their rescue. This was more than an inkling, they were sure God had their backs! What grounded faith they displayed.
But for how long must I continue to trust? What if it never happens? You may ask.
I have asked these questions too and even though their circumstances were worse than mine, I found my answer in the same story.
“But even if our God does not deliver us,” the boys said, “let it be known that we will not serve your idol!” Amazing. These are heavy words that can only be spoken when we are totally devoted to God and Him alone. These are words that will only carry weight when we trust that He has great plans for us no matter what our circumstances look like. This is what we say when we would rather be left with nothing but our relationship with God because that is what truly matters.
What if my life doesn’t change? What if these issues that stare me in the face get worse and I find no relief at all? Will I ever see an answer to my prayer? Will this pain go away? I do not know the answer to these questions but I know one thing: I will serve God with all my heart! It was not an easy place to get to, trust me. I want what I want, but I want God even more and that makes all the difference.
In my experience, I have come to believe that God either gives me what I desire or the grace to live without it by giving me something better. Either way, all things work together for good to those who are called according to His purpose.
Be courageous. God has not forgotten you!