Hannah Chung

God Gives Us

God’s love will sustain us even when we feel alone.

Today is National Encouragement Day! So, of course I had to share something that hopefully you find as encouraging as I did today 🙂

I personally find little kids to be a great source of honesty, joy, and a reminder about both the deep and simple parts of life. I was babysitting a little girl this morning, and we were making a craft project taken from a previous Sunday school class. It was a musical shaker that had paired along with a lesson about giving thanks and worshiping God.

After the little girl had a satisfied smile on her face, putting the cap back on her marker after decorating the paper plate Tamborine with crowns and hearts, she studied mine for a moment.

“What does this say?” She asked, pointing to my example.

“It says ‘God gives us’.” I replied. “Then I wrote things that God gives us, like love, joy, and hope.”

“I want mine to have those words too. Can you help me spell them?”

I smiled. “Sure.” Soon, she had found a new marker and spelled out “God gives us”. After that, she decided she didn’t want to do the words the same way I had.

Turning to me for a moment, tilting her head, she asked, “Could you tell me how to spell ‘hope when love is gone’?”

My eyes widened in surprise, since this seemed like an odd statement for a five-year-old to want to write on her craft project. But the more I’ve been thinking about it, the more I’ve realized how profound those words truly are.

We’ve all had a time where we’ve felt betrayed, unloved, or unappreciated. That’s because human love isn’t perfect. Sometimes, there are cases where it is so close that it feels perfect, but it never can be because people aren’t perfect. God’s love is the only love that can truly satisfy us.

Of course, God wants us to love others and to be loved. But He wants us to come to Him for our ultimate fulfillment and renewal of perfect love before we try extending it and receiving it from others. And when we feel heartbroken, we can still have hope because there is still someone out there that truly, sacrificially, undeniably loves us. The One who knew that the world would be made better with us on it. The One who died for us. The One who is always with us and the only One we can rely on.

Jesus.

I sure hope that you aren’t feeling brokenhearted today. I hope that you are feeling loved and cared for by others. But wherever your heart is today, I want you to still have hope. God loves you so much. No matter what’s going on in the world, between the division, the fires, the virus, and the longstanding issues we’ve been facing, God is still good. God still has a purpose for you. You don’t have to fear, because God is with you.

God loves you so much. ❤

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
1 John 4:7-8

Surrounding Yourself With Encouragement

Today is the start of Encouragement Thursdays, where I’ll post a message God has been bringing to my attention over the past week!

I have noticed a rather humorous trend on my social media platforms these days. Instead of scrolling through pictures of friends and family, I seem to be scrolling through endless inspirational quotes and tidbits of advice. This was certainly unintentional, following so many accounts that are run by strangers who want to brighten others’ days, but I feel like God has used these daily messages to bring hope to my life.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed a trend of negativity and finger-pointing lately in the media, in our communities, and perhaps even within our close circles of friends/family. There is a lot of division in our world today.

That’s why I believe–now more than ever– that we need to surround ourselves with encouragement. Whether it’s unfollowing negative, or even hurtful people, and following those who post inspirational content, or going out of your way to plaster Bible verses on your walls. Make sure to surround yourself with encouraging people, at least one friend who brings you closer to God and makes you feel better after spending time with them.

I have another proposition, and that would be to start posting Encouraging Thursdays, where I share something I learned from over the past week by looking out for encouraging messages.

Today’s Encouraging Thursday quote is this:

“Avoidance is the greatest risk of all.”

I saw this quote a day after I made the decision to go ahead with doing a task–albeit a small one, but even those matter– that I felt God was calling me to do. Even though the event has not yet happened, this reminded me that it’s better potentially embarrassing myself than regretting not taking action at all. I don’t have to think later on that there was more I could do. I can feel satisfied in knowing that I will have done everything I can humanly do to help this person.

Is there something in your life that you are on the fence about doing? Maybe it’s taking a new job, talking to a new person, or having a difficult, but important, conversation. Whatever it is for you, pray about it, and if you feel peace and think that God wants you to do it, then go for it! You will never know what would have happened unless you do your part to make it happen.

I hope this was encouraging for you, and I’ll try to keep up these Encouraging Thursdays! Today try to find a book, quote, or have a conversation with an encouraging person in your life. It might just make today amazing!

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

The Next Level With God

Are you feeling tested or challenged in your faith? Keep reading for some encouragement.

The closer you get to God, the harder the enemy is going to make your life.

But I have some encouragement for you.

It might not “feel” harder.

I have an exercise bike, and when I first got it, the lowest speed was a good workout. But now, after owning it for several years, I need to have it at a significantly harder level in order to even feel like I’m exercising.

This might seem like an odd analogy, but bear with me here.

The longer my “relationship” with my exercise bike was, the more it took for me to be challenged, to grow, for the bike to do it’s purpose to strengthen me.

The same goes for our relationship with God. The longer we know Him and trust Him, the more we are capable of doing through Him. God will continue to strengthen us, and He promises to never give us anything we can’t handle. But that does mean that there will be difficult things in our lives that might test us. So we need to be prepared, but not frightened.

Our purpose in life is to do God’s work, spreading His love and bringing more and more people to faith. We aren’t going to fulfill our purposes by sitting on the couch binging Netflix or hiding our faith from others when in public. We need to be open about how God has helped us become who we are today. We shouldn’t force our beliefs on others, but we should be ready to share God’s love with them.

I’m not telling you all this to bring on the pressure or to scare you. I’m telling you this because I know you can handle what God’s going to do through you. I know that you are brave, determined, and resilient. But I also know that life can be terrifying, with all these unknowns ahead of us. Loss, heartbreak, and surprises could be around the next turn.

But so could be joy, peace, and hope. You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control your mindset. If you believe that God is working through every situation, then you don’t need to be afraid. God’s got this, and you’ve got this, and together you are an unstoppable team.

So today, don’t be afraid if you’re heading into a new level with God. He’s using this time to prepare you for amazing things that will change the lives of others. You just have to be willing to accept the new challenge and remember to not stay in the places that you’ve outgrown.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

Enduring Pain

If you feel stuck, trying to figure out if there is any good that can come from your pain, keep reading.

A random skill that most people wouldn’t know I have is being a pretty good back massager. You heard me right…and you’re probably wondering why you’re still reading!

Well, I’ll get to the point…soon. You know how we Nines love our stories 😉

My mom used to tell people that she had a daughter simply to get free back massages, and a small part of me occasionally wonders if that’s true considering the frequency at which she requests them. As humans age, as you may know from experience, they often experience muscle stiffness. Tonight I was helping my mom get a knot out of her back, and after the allotted time I had agreed to perform this service was up, I asked if she wanted me to continue. She laughed and replied, “I would like that, but I don’t think I can endure the pain.”

This part may not surprise you, if you know me at all. After she said that, I suddenly knew I had to blog. Not about muscles, weird skills, or getting old. But rather, about pain.

About a year ago, one of my first posts was about pain and how many people often use numbing mechanisms to avoid it. Little did I know that throughout this past year, I’ve struggled with dealing with my pain and negative emotions. I often choose to not feel things, but then that includes the positive, happy memories as well.

I think avoiding pain can be one of our biggest mistakes in life. The longer we avoid the pain, the longer we avoid the good that can come out of that pain. God does not take us through difficult seasons without a reason. He knows that there’s something better at the end, but we just have to persevere. And sometimes that means trying something again that may have previously hurt us.

Now, I’m not telling you to go and let people walk all over you. I don’t want you to get into a dangerous situation or go backwards on a process towards good health. But if God is calling you to try something again, whether it’s a relationship, a career, a hobby, or perhaps even just diving back in your Bible, then you should go for it.

We love making excuses as to why we can’t possibly embrace our pain. We tell ourselves that we can’t endure it. And we’re right, we can’t.

At least, we can’t alone.

But God is always with us and He will give us the strength to get through anything.

I’ve seen so many people go through things I could never imagine going through with such bravery. They continue to live for God, they continue to go about their daily lives, and they will still be heroes, such strong people, in my eyes when they admit their pain and sorrow.

Don’t allow fear of people’s reactions to affect how you grieve, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or a forgotten dream. The ones who are meant to be in your life and really care about you will give you the space to feel what you need to feel.

I know it’s hard trying again. I know it’s hard doing what God calls us to do. I’m not going to sit here and expect you to suddenly change your life or do things that risk heartbreak alone. I’m going to try to get out of my comfort zone and figure out my emotions as well, in a healthy way.

I know that we can both get through whatever life throws at us because we are empowered by our Creator. God loves us and designed us to need Him, and when we turn to Him, we will overflow with His grace, courage, and perseverance.

I’ll be praying for you. Don’t give up. ❤

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:2

You are Never Alone

Whatever you’re going through, always remember that you are never alone.

“In her lowest place she found grace, the strength, the courage, the room, the space to move and live and breathe again.”
Morgan Harper Nichols

A lot of us find ourselves in a place where we truly believe we are alone. Forever alone.

Maybe a relationship ended. Maybe one never began. Maybe a longtime friendship fell apart. Maybe a loved one is gone. Or maybe the doubts are just seeping in more than usual.

Whatever place your in right now, I want you to close your eyes. Take a deep breath. You’re still here for a reason.

And it’s to touch others’ lives.

I know that right now that might be hard to believe. Some days feel just too difficult to get up, much less actually change the world.

What a large task, changing the world.

But the best news is, despite all that your mind is telling you, you’re never alone.

When I was first in that place where I needed to hear those words, I didn’t actually realize that it was a common phrase of encouragement. Sometimes when phrases become a second nature to us, we forget their true meaning.

So I feel fortunate that the time I heard it, I believed those words and felt like they were everything I needed to keep going.

Okay, maybe not everything. I still had doubts. I still felt alone sometimes.

But it gave me hope.

You may have heard the phrase “you are never alone” hundreds of times. Maybe they have lost their meaning for you. But I hope today that you can read them with fresh eyes. I wish I could say them to you in person.

I want you to feel them. Let them sink in.

You are never alone.

Now, you might think, Hannah, you don’t know what kind of situation I’m in!

That’s true, I don’t. I can’t pretend to understand what you are going through.

But I do know this. God will always be there waiting for you. He is the One who will not leave you alone in a pit of despair. He is the One who will lift you out and make you into His perfect creation.

I also know something else.

At least one person is praying for you. At least one person cares about you.

I am praying for you and I care about you. I don’t know anything about you, but I know that you are worthy of being cared about.

Nothing you did could ever separate you from the love of God. Absolutely nothing.

You are priceless. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Nothing about you can change that, either. Not your looks, your career, your quirks, your awkward moments, your mistakes.

Because those things aren’t going to last forever.

Love is the only thing that can truly bind us together, forever, with the One who gave us life in the first place.

So let love fill your heart. There is still hope. You will be able to love again. You will be loved again. And you are currently loved by the One who knows how to love the best.

And remember, no matter what you are facing, you are never alone.

The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
Jeremiah 31:3

Surrender

Don’t let what appears to be a fight with a person sway you from your purpose of loving others.

We all have our weaknesses. Every character, whether an average person or a superhero, has their one flaw (at least one!). That’s one of the most accurate parts of media, I think, is revealing that we are all human whether we like to believe it or not.

The thing is, it’s super easy to pick out someone else’s flaws, but it’s rather difficult to find our own. We don’t like to admit that we’re selfish, inconsiderate, or quick tempered. We don’t want to think that while we’re hurt by others, we are also capable of causing the hurt.

Sometimes God uses people to test us, to see if we are really loving, patient, and kind.

We can show all the compassion and sweetness in the world to the people who don’t push our buttons as easily. We can talk all day about how we are going to spread Jesus’ love when we are surrounded by people we find easy to be kind to.

But when that person comes around who always just says the wrong thing? That thing that makes you want to escape yourself and silence them. Perhaps it’s a family member or a friend. Maybe this person isn’t even that close to you, yet you must see them on a regular basis.

We all have that person who just gets under our skin and tests us.

I recently have felt surrounded by people who have in the past and are currently just driving me crazy. But this time, I’m realizing that perhaps it’s because I’m letting them.

I’m letting my temper get away from me. I’m letting my feelings of bitterness overwhelm God’s voice in my life.

Today’s sermon from my church was about Jesus being kind and healing the daughter of a woman from a community that had, in the past, been against His own. Yet, Jesus was impressed by her faith and used her as an example to His own community for what true faith should look like.

God can use anyone for His glory, even the people that get on our nerves.

And chances are, He’s even using them to change you, too.

Perhaps God is convicting you of these hard feelings you have against them. Or maybe it’s your own personality flaw that needs to get worked on.

I know I have so many things I struggle with and sometimes these people are testing me to see if I will fall back on my old ways of living.

Don’t let the enemy win. That’s who you are really in a battle against, not your friend, or family member, or neighbor. No. It’s the enemy trying to get you to falter.

Don’t give him that satisfaction.

Instead, let these people help you grow into a patient, truly loving person, who God is so proud of.

I know you can do this. Let God’s voice speak into your life, whether it is something you may not have wanted to hear, like conviction, or something to encourage you.

Today is the first day of the future for you. No need to turn back. You can start fresh today.

Today you can finally surrender those feelings of resentment, that annoyance you feel towards that person, or persons.

I am praying that you can get through this. God is with you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
Matthew 7:3-4

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:37

What Do You Actually Want?

God doesn’t see us the way everyone else does.

Two posts in one day? Apparently yes!

My friends know I love good analogies, so hopefully this one suits your fancy!

I was watching my dog, Rocky, who I’ve talked about a few times on here. He basically attacks us while we are eating by jumping all around, barking, and scratching up our legs, unless we give him what he wants.

We decided to get him a can of dog food that he hasn’t had in a while to hopefully trick his sense of smell into thinking he was getting the same food as us.

He wagged his tail eagerly, waiting in anticipation, knowing exactly what he wanted…or so we thought.

The garbage bin usually sits out in the kitchen during dinner and is unfortunately just the right height for him to stick his little black nose into. After we opened the can and scooped out the food, we threw the can into the bin. Instead of running over to get the food, he raced to the trash to check out that can.

He was so focused on the outer wrapper that he didn’t pay attention to what was good for him, what was actually what he needed and wanted.

I think we can get distracted by the “wrapper” in life, too.

We see the fixings of a life that appears to be perfect. We see a person that has stunning looks. We see a memory or something we are clinging onto with rose colored glasses.

God gives and He takes away. He doesn’t want us to be so caught up in the wrapper; He wants us to go after the deeper meaning in life, in relationships, and in His call on our lives.

Don’t settle, whether it’s for a person, a job, or what you think you want out of life if it’s anything other than what God’s calling you to.

God knows what He’s doing. He’s the only one who can see the future. He’s the one who planned it! And He planned it with you in mind, the one He loves so very much.

When you see a person, don’t think about their appearance, give them a chance regardless of how they look. Treat everyone with God’s gentleness, grace, and kindness.

When you see an opportunity, think about if it’s what God wants you to do. Pray about it. Don’t just go for something because you are afraid of missing out. But at the same time, if you think God is calling you to do it, then go for it! Take that leap of faith!

God’s got your back, you don’t have to stress anymore.

After all, just like how we are striving to look deep inside everything in our lives, God sees deep inside of us. He isn’t ever distracted by the wrapper. He loves every part of you, and He knows that desire, the longing in the core of your being.

And I hope that desire is to be just like the One who sacrificed it all because of His unfailing love for us.

You’re worth so much more than you think.

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.
1 Sammuel 16:7

FOCUS

My consistent followers on here know that I’m often trying to challenge you, to help you grow. That’s because I am constantly trying to do that for myself, because it’s not in my innate desires. I want to stay within that comfort zone. But God calls us to step away from that pattern of living and be willing to pursue something more.

But today I have two messages, one is a challenge, the other is encouragement.

I’ve felt a tug on my heart to really share this message with you from God.

He wants you to know that He loves you so much. We humans are His favorite creation, the only one truly made in His image. He could’ve made someone completely different from you, but He made YOU because the world needs you. He is proud of you. He loves you more than words can even describe!

Take a moment to close your eyes and breathe in God’s grace. He loves you. He loves you like nobody else can.

Okay, now are you ready for the challenge? 🙂

The word that’s been on my heart lately is this: focus.

We are so easily distracted by the idols of this world: fame, wealth, looks, popularity, etc. We compare ourselves to others who may not be living for God and we want what they have.

But that’s only going to last them for a season. They are only going to feel content for a moment.

But following God’s call on our lives? That kind of satisfaction will last us a lifetime. No– longer! It will bring us into eternity, a perfect eternity, where we can spend forever worshipping God, feeling His abounding love for us, and being in community.

How great does that sound? Simply amazing!

But we need to figure out our priorities before embarking on this challenge.

Take some time today to think about where your heart really is. Is it sucked into a relationship? Is it devoted to your career? Is it in a talent or skill you have?

Those things can all be great.

But remember that God created that other person you love dearly. God created humans to invent things and to be hardworking. God gifted you that amazing ability.

So honor the One that has given us the life we have.

If you put God first, everything else will fall into place. It’s that simple.

Focus your eyes and your heart on what’s going to last.

Once you put your faith and focus on God, everything else will suddenly become clear.

Then you will finally have that ultimate contentment.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matthew 22:37

Admit What You Need

Admit it when you need help in order to build better relationships– both with God and with loved ones.

A lot of times I hide how I feel or what I need because I don’t want to bother others. At least, that’s what I often tell myself when justifying not reaching out.

But another major reason why I’m hesitant to reach out to people with my desires is because I don’t want to admit that I’m weak, insufficient, and not completely capable of everything. I don’t want to crush this false illusion in my mind that I’ve somehow proven to others that I am basically inhuman in my abilities to be self-sufficient.

This only hurts my relationships with others, and this mindset of not wanting to be vulnerable hurts our relationship with God too.

Let’s be honest, some people truly don’t want to see our less-than-perfect side. They only want us when we can help them.

But God isn’t like that. Not one little bit.

He wants our ENTIRE heart. He wants the brokenness because only He can make it beautiful. He wants to comfort us. He wants to sustain us. He wants to give us strength.

But He isn’t going to arrive uninvited. We have to let Him in if we want His help.

The same goes for people. If we act like nothing is wrong, then people will assume we are fine. We need to be willing to be human in order to get the help that we need. We have to be vulnerable in order for others to feel truly comfortable with us.

Not only does this help us, but it strengthens our relationships, both with people and with God.

We show God that we are willing to allow Him to use all the areas of our life, including the things we’d rather leave unexposed.

So today, allow the people who really care about you into your life, both the good and bad. Tell them if you need something, and be willing to let them be vulnerable with you too.

In addition, think about the areas of your life where you’ve held back from showing your true self to God. Ask Him to show you the areas where you need to let go and allow Him to take over. God will help you through any struggle you are going through, as long as you let Him in.

More than anything, remember that you are never a burden. You don’t have to always be strong. Allow yourself to be immersed in the love and comfort that God and your loved ones want to give you.

You are enough.

For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
Psalm 22:24

After the Prayer

Prayer is a good first step, but when is it time to take action?

Prayer is the most important spiritual practice you can take part in. However, it can be misused in a way that actually harms you. Often, we say we’ll pray about something, and that’s wonderful. But then we can use it as an excuse to not take action. If things don’t happen related to the issue, we blame God instead of ourselves.

I know that I’ve done this before. If I’m afraid, I’ll just tell myself that God will handle it for me once I pray. Of course God should be a source of comfort and peace. Yet, He does not want us to sit idly by and not do the work to make progress.

I know this might be a tough love moment, but in the end, your relationship with God will strengthen if you are willing to do more than pray.

Instead of praying something specific, pray that God’s will can be done and that God will give you the strength to do the hard thing. We should ultimately want God’s will to be done because, as I talked about in my most recent post, we can either choose to accept what’s happening and trust God or begrudging stomp our feet and refuse to move forward in life. Then we miss out on the many blessings God has in store for us.

Today, reflect on areas of your life where you may not be putting in the work. Perhaps the conflict could be resolved through you talking to someone. Perhaps you are actually being called to give up something in order to help someone else. Perhaps you are meant to take that risk you’ve been worrying about.

There are certainly situations in which we simply can’t do anything but pray. And that’s okay. But just take the time to figure out whether God is calling you to take action.

Ultimately, it is crucial to pray in order to strengthen our relationship with God and to have peace about situations. But nothing can be done if we aren’t willing to follow God’s call on our lives.

You can certainly pray for strength, perseverance, and clarity. That’s a wonderful thing to do. But after that, just go for it! You can do this, I believe in you. And most of all, God is with you, so you have nothing to be afraid of ❤

If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31