Category: Trusting God

The End is in Sight

Have you lost your hope for the future?

When you read the title, you might’ve expected this article to be related to the “End Times” or the end of the world. However, I’m no expert on that subject (though who is?) and I’d rather focus on what we don’t have to speculate about.

The truth is, the reason why we long for the end and speculate about Jesus’ second coming is because life on Earth can be really stressful and unnerving. We feel stuck here, unsure where life will take us next.

So the real question is, how can we get unstuck?

Whenever I’m in a tough class, it encourages me to count down the days until the end of the quarter. Why? Because having a specific number of days, no matter how many, reminds me that the end is in sight. I know I won’t be stressed forever.

My answer to how we can get unstuck boils down to one word: Hope.

Hope is laughed at, scorned upon, and belittled in our current society. Yet I believe hope is waiting to be found, a glimmer of light that grows the longer we cling onto it.

Just as classes don’t go past their end date, we won’t suffer through seasons for an unnecessarily long period of time. And ultimately, we won’t be on Earth longer than we have to be either. God knows how many days until we’re with Him, and until then we are meant to make an impact right here, where we are.

When we get burned out, we forget to focus on the present’s generous offerings. Perhaps those offerings are a smile from a stranger or a moment of stillness or laughing with loved ones. Even the small moments of beauty and hope mean something.

If you are feeling stuck, step back and breathe. Remember that you will not be in this situation forever. Trust that no matter what life throws at you, you still have a reason to keep hoping.

Why? Because the God of the universe is in control and He will make all things right in their own time. Most of all, God loves you very much and will use you for great things.

And remember, no matter what, you are loved beyond comprehension ❤

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

1 Peter 1:13

You Can’t Save Yourself

Do you feel ready to give up on God and turn to yourself when life gets difficult?

I firmly believe you have immense value, you are loved, and we should do whatever we can to encourage each other. But one thing I will never stand behind is the false belief that we have the power to save ourselves.

Usually, this lie isn’t delivered this bluntly. It’s packaged in phrases like “I am my own hero” and “I am the only one I can rely on” and “The only one who can help me is me“.

When we first get tempted to believe this lie, we may feel refreshed, happier than we’ve ever been. But over time, we become even more drained than before, wondering what went wrong, and having even less self-confidence than before.

How do I know this is true? Because I’ve tried it, my friend, and it doesn’t do any good.

A few years ago, I was in a situation that left me feeling rejected and unimportant. So where did I go with my wounded pride? Social media.

Scrolling through positive self-confidence feeds until all I could repeat were those mantras. I believe repeating positive phrases is important, but not when they cause us to fixate on ourselves and rely on false strength.

At the end of it, I felt invigorated, ready to conquer the world and bash all those people who had hurt me. I’m a better version of me now, I thought. I can do anything!

As time went on, I began harboring more and more resentment towards the people who made me feel less-than. My focus wasn’t on helping myself; it was on seeking revenge.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “The best revenge is living a life worth being jealous of?”

No–don’t live a good, fulfilling life that way. Why? Because you can’t live an honest, purposeful life while constantly looking over your shoulder to make sure others are admiring it!

Live a life you are thankful for and proud of so that you can know you’ve made a difference in the world for the greater good…for God’s good.

So what finally got me out of this resentful, self-consumed mindset? Actually spending time with the people who had hurt me.

After one conversation, my feelings fizzled away. I was humbly reminded that I wasn’t the only one going through tough things. That yes, my feelings mattered, but they don’t dictate everyone’s lives and they shouldn’t be the sole ruler of mine.

That night, I felt stripped of any false confidence and strength I possessed before. Instead, I was convicted of the bitter, awful feelings buried in my heart.

Those feelings weren’t pleasant. I’d prefer not to relive them, even though I have been convicted of these things since then. But you know, by the end of it, I felt even better than I had before.

I was finally at the root of my problems. It wasn’t really about trying to improve myself; it was about the hurt and rejection I had experienced that led me to believe I wasn’t worthy in the first place.

But that just isn’t true, for either of us.

After admitting the core of my problems to God, I felt clean. I felt made new. I felt like I was finally getting somewhere in life.

Ultimately, I felt like God was using me again.

The saddest part about believing we can save ourselves is how it influences our relationship with God. God is the only One who can save us. He’s the only One who could’ve created us to begin with! So how can we possibly take credit for the work only our Divine Savior can accomplish?

It’s tempting to believe we are our only saviors when life doesn’t go the way we hope. It’s tempting to turn to positive mantras, colorful reassurances, and all the things that give us a temporary confidence boost.

But God never promises that life will be easy or that our prayers will be answered the way we hoped or within our timetable. God gives us a greater promise: that His will is going to be done, that He is always with us, and that we have nothing to fear.

I’m urging you now, before you become somebody you are not, to release your wounds and deep feelings to God. Allow yourself to feel disappointed or scared or overwhelmed with grief. Once you admit how you feel and that you are only truly strong through God, you will begin to feel better knowing that you are not alone.

Though none of us can save ourselves, you do have the power to help yourself. So help yourself today by resting and being vulnerable with Jesus, as well as those who also love you. I know that you can get through this, one step at a time. Remember, you are worth what it takes to truly heal ❤

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

Day By Day

You are free to take life day by day.

You are free to take today one moment at a time. You are free to live day by day.

The future can cause a great ache in our hearts, a flutter in our chests, and an instant sweat to form. We try to calculate things according to our overarching plans, but problems come up, new relationships form, and old ones evaporate, leaving stains on our weary hearts. What are we to do in such a fast-paced world?

We are to be still.

Be still, right here, right now. Take a deep breath.

Everything will be okay. Not everything will go according to your plans. In fact, it’s likely that most things won’t. But what if that’s a good thing?

There are people in your life who you may be longing for, yet feel far away. Perhaps a closed door will bring you closer to them, or an unexpected conversation will lead you to others who are better suited for you.

There may be a dream that surfaces your brain whenever you allow yourself to hope. The path towards achieving this goal will not be linear, but it will be full of growth opportunities.

The things you cling onto now may be holding you back. These hopes and dreams are important and valuable, but will only lead to more stress if you place them before your trust in God.

God is the only one who knows you fully and is capable of cultivating a purposeful life for you.

Cling onto God and the rest will fall into place.

Your progress may feel slow, but it will all be worth it. These small acts of obedience, this budding hope, this glimmering light–they mean something, something beautiful. You are blossoming into exactly who you are meant to be.

So give yourself grace today. You have weathered many storms, yet none have blown you over. You are the last one standing, victorious.

You are improving; you are growing. God is at work within you.

So give yourself the opportunity to breathe and let today be whatever it needs to be.

You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

Joshua 23:14

But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.

Joshua 23:8

Carrying Courage, Abandoning Shame

What should you save and let go of as we head into the new year?

To this day, I absolutely love scented body wash. When I was growing up, I loved my body wash so much that I refused to use up a bottle. When there was about 1/4 left, I’d stash the bottle under the sink and find a brand new one.

I’m not entirely sure the logic behind this scheme. Seeing the bottle collect mold and dust didn’t enhance my shower experience. In fact, I felt wasteful as I tossed several disgusting bottles away years later. Yet there was a part of me that felt I had to save the remains of each bottle just in case I’d need it later.

Now, this story may seem a little ridiculous, but hear me out. As we head into 2022, we are all carrying more than we should. I don’t just mean in terms of our possessions, though a new year’s cleaning may be therapeutic 🙂 We are carrying too much in our hearts.

Have you been walking around with a lifetime of broken memories and scars from the wounds of others? Have you been harboring resentment towards others who still don’t seem to be worthy of forgiveness? Perhaps you are saving the fragments of a mistake in order to get what you want.

Our mind lies to us, telling us that we can’t be better than this place we’re in. The darkness in our hearts that emerges when we harm ourselves or others, even internally, forms a block in our path. We can’t move forward like this.

Whether you are ashamed of your past or you are frustrated by someone else’s mistakes, I encourage you to let go of shame as you enter this new season. It may not seem “fair” to forgive yourself or others, especially if someone got hurt along the way. However, by allowing yourself to accept this generous gift from God, you are released from the chains of hopelessness and despair.

But we shouldn’t walk into 2022 empty handed, right?

It takes great courage to face unknowns, particularly after the past few years we’ve had. Yet we can have courage because God is always with us.

A few weeks ago, I asked my Sunday schoolers what helps them feel less afraid, and they unanimously replied, “Having someone with me.”

We always have someone with us, even when we feel alone and afraid.

Take God with you into 2022. He is the one thing that will never mold or decay, nor get stolen or lost. He will always be waiting to show His love and mercy towards you.

May 2022 be a year full of hope, peace, and patience as we watch our lives unfold according to God’s greater plan. You are here for an incredible purpose, and I believe God will use whatever comes your way to shape you into the person you are designed to be.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Psalm 46:1-3

Behind You, Beside You, Before You

Is your calling from God difficult to understand?

I’ve always seen the value in honesty, and while this blog is dedicated to encouragement, I need to be real with you about my struggles as well as my joys and past lessons learned. It’s really easy finding the morals in the stories that are so far off, they no longer feel like real life, but merely distant history. But perhaps, as we journey together, we can find hope within the current hardships.

Over the past four months, I have really struggled with my mental health. At first, it was related to triggering events over the summer that left me feeling hopeless. I was looking forward to college as an escape from the issues burdening me over the summer. However, college was definitely not what I thought it would be at all.

I want to highlight that I have made many incredible friends who have truly shown God’s love to me and I would never want to undermine the impact they, as well as understanding professors, have lent me during this time.

Yet many of the things I had eagerly anticipated fell through the cracks. A certain friendship that I had hoped would bring joy and encouragement ended up causing me to experience anxiety attacks and many sleepless nights. I began to feel unsafe, unsure of what to do from here.

Lately, I’ve been reading through the book of Isaiah, which I shared on a previous post. I always associate Isaiah with the idea of being “sent” by God.

I love the verse, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

I believe that we all have a calling and that God wants to work through whoever is willing. But what I have struggled to comprehend is the fact that God does not always send us to places where we feel fulfilled or loved or worthy. God does not always send us to people who want to embrace us and accept the gifts we bring.

For Isaiah, his calling was incredibly unpleasant. He had to warn the people of the impending destruction of their entire way of life. No one would like him after that. No one would want to listen to him either.

However, Isaiah was willing, and God worked through him to bring forth many miracles.

Later on, Isaiah is given another message, the exciting news of the promised Messiah! But it took sharing the bad news before Isaiah could share the good news.

Not every single one of your callings will be uncomfortable. We can have hope in that. God will never leave us stranded.

As I’ve been trying to comprehend why the past few months have felt like a never-ending rollercoaster of surprising misfortunes, I came across this verse in Isaiah chapter 8: “Devise a plan; it will fail. Make a prediction; it will not happen. For God is with us.” (Isaiah 8:10)

One of my biggest reasons for feeling discouraged during this season is because so many of the things I truly believed would be huge blessings have ended up exactly the opposite of what I had anticipated. Yet this verse tells us that we can find hope when our plans and predictions don’t follow through. God’s presence is enough to make all things right and sustain us when we feel like we can’t take another step step further.

Later on in this passage, God instructs Isaiah to tell the people to not fear what the world fears. The world fears an effaced reputation, a loss in self-confidence, and ultimate desolation. But we know that our strength, our confidence, our identity, and our future is in God’s hands. We have nothing to fear.

Today, let God’s words to you resonate in your soul. God loves you so much and His plan is far greater than any battle you are fighting. He will go above you, before you, behind you, and beside you. ❤

I will wait for the Lord,

who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob.

I will wait for Him.

Isaiah 8:17

Trusting God with Our Unknowns

Are you struggling to let go because you didn’t get the closure or answers you hoped for?

Growth can be painful. Change can be painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.

Charles Spurgeon

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Let go and let God”. People debated that phrase within the faith community because some interpreted it as a lack of effort on our part. When we simply let go and let God, they believe we aren’t taking ownership over our situations.

I don’t know if I’m particularly a fan of this phrase, but I do think it has some value to it. Yes, we need to be proactive and not expect God to just handle everything while we sit back and relax. But when we’ve done everything we can and we need to let go, that’s when it’s time to step back and remember that God is much more powerful and capable than we are.

I’ll even go one step further by saying we should go into every situation with the mindset that we are not in control and we are walking hand-in-hand with the Holy Spirit, who is in control and can direct us to the right choices.

There’s a difference between being proactive and being controlling. When we are being proactive, we are listening to the Holy Spirit, not allowing our joy and contentment come from the outcome of our situations, and willing to do whatever God leads us to do. When we are struggling to be in control, we are grasping at any loose threads that bring us comfort, trying to find solace in whatever small victories may come, even at the expense of our own wellbeing. When we are working so hard at being in control, we miss the bigger picture. We forget why we are doing what we’re doing in the first place, even if it started out as a wonderful, beautiful thing.

To be honest, this summer, my actions have slowly morphed from being proactive to being controlling. The hardest time to “let God” take over is when we are faced with unknowns. These unknowns fill our hearts with anxiety, confusion, and panic. When we can’t see the end result, we are fixated on the limited view we have of the present.

God called me into a few different situations that required patience, dedication, and compassion. I believe I did everything I could to help. But then, God called me to step back, and that’s when I faltered. I didn’t want to step back. I didn’t want to let go. If I let go, I’d feel like a failure. “There’s always more I can do”, I thought.

Of course there’s always more we can do. But there isn’t always more we should do.

I’ll admit it, there’s a thrill that comes when people rely on me. It gives me a sense of purpose, which is good, but that can’t be where my purpose comes from. My purpose, and your purpose, has to come from God. Because while He doesn’t promise that the purposes found in people or careers will be fulfilled, He does promise that our purposes found in Him will flourish.

Sometimes God isn’t only calling us out of a situation for our benefit. While yes, the reason may be to renew your energy, it could also be because the person you’re helping is relying too heavily on you. They are turning to you as their crutch rather than turning to God for their healing.

Think about it this way. If you’ve ever broken a leg, or seen someone with a broken leg, you’ve realized how important crutches can be to help them be able to move. While crutches are helpful and necessary for a time, they still can’t do everything for the injured person. Eventually, the person will have to do the hard work of physical therapy in order to experience full healing. Though the therapy may be more painful, just like growing and turning to God during our difficulties can be harder than finding someone to rant to, it ultimately brings the lasting results.

It’s really hard, devastating even, to be faced with unknowns. I can’t tell you whether or not this person is still meant to be in your life. I can’t tell you why they left. I can’t, and shouldn’t, explain away all the feelings you are experiencing in this season of change.

What I can say, however, is that God loves both you and this person even more than anyone else ever could. Trust Him to take care of them. Trust Him to take care of you. There never would’ve been any of us without God. He created all of us for a reason and He won’t ever give up on us.

So, perhaps you should walk out in faith today and not give up on Him.

It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.

Isaiah 55:11-12

He has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done, but because of His own purpose and grace.

2 Timothy 1:9

In God’s Hands

Are you burdened by a situation that you know you should place in God’s hands, yet you aren’t sure how to trust God with it? Here is advice and encouragement.

Have you ever felt out of control in either a situation or relationship, and someone gave you the advice, “Just put it in God’s hands” ? It can be really frustrating to get this advice because while it’s well-meaning, it’s hard to know how to put it in God’s hands. And once we figure out how, letting go is extremely difficult as well.

So what does putting something in God’s hands even mean?

This phrase goes hand in hand with the definition of surrender. When we surrender something, we are no longer in control of it. And when it comes to our lives, especially the people in our lives, we are never really in control of them in the first place. Yet we are giving that feeling of being in control to God and trusting Him with it. Sometimes, that process of surrender comes in taking a risk, being proactive in a situation. Other times, it means stepping back and being patient, maybe even letting go and moving on.

Last year, I struggled with giving God a friendship that was burdening my heart. This friend was going through a lot, yet I was unable to communicate with her. I went through seasons of bitterness and anger over what felt unfair, cruel even. I went through times of grief and longing for what used to be. But I wouldn’t–couldn’t–give up. I was determined.

If you know me, you know I’m (in the positive description) perseverant, and (in the negative description) stubborn. Sometimes, that can be a really good thing. But often it makes letting go extremely difficult. Perhaps you can relate to the feeling of failure that comes with letting go. That overwhelming ache of loss.

Yet, in this situation, I felt God beside me, telling me to put this person, who I cared so deeply about, into His hands. And finally, I released her. I put her in His hands and tried to trust that whatever came next would be from God.

Do you ever pray for God to take hold of a situation, and instead of feeling at peace with whatever happens next, you wait for what you want to happen to finally happen? I’ll admit to experiencing this. Sometimes, we’re tempted to just say the right words so that our plan can come into play rather than God’s. Of course, life doesn’t work like that. God knows what’s really going on in our hearts. But it can be awfully disappointing when things don’t go the way we want.

At this point in my story, I was ready to fully surrender my friend. When I prayed those words, I truly meant them. And guess what? For a few short weeks, it felt like it worked. I was miraculously able to get back in touch with her and we picked up right where we left off. We were even going to see each other again. I praised God and thought, “Wow, putting things in God’s hands really does work!”.

But then a painful thing happened between us (which I will spare you the details of) which devastated me. I felt even worse and confused as this person was taken away from me once again. I was upset at God and doubted that putting things in His hands was the right thing to do after all.

And this is where putting something in God’s hands really comes to the test. The key to putting something or someone in God’s hands is trusting Him fully with it. It means when things don’t go the way we want, and even if we are left with disappointing results, we still know that God is in control. We are still trusting that God knows what’s best and that He still cares about everyone involved.

It’s taken me more than a month to come to terms with this. It’s not something that can be done overnight. Putting our lives in God’s hands is a daily process. It starts with dedicating the day to God in the morning, checking in with Him throughout the day, and reflecting with Him at night. It means living out “Thy will be done”, even when things don’t go the way we hope.

And that’s really hard. It’s really hard when it feels like nothing is going right. It’s really hard when we trust God, and it feels like He’s let us down. It’s really hard to know that He’s still here and He still cares when everything is falling apart around us.

But I can promise you one thing–God never changes. The God who has given you everything you have and sacrificed everything out of His love for you is the same God who is waiting to pick up the pieces after you go through the storms of life. God doesn’t want to hurt you, but He wants to help you grow closer to Him. Sometimes that means letting go of people. Sometimes that means stepping out of a situation. Sometimes that means even feeling alone for a season.

However, you are never alone. The reason we can trust God with whatever we’re going through is because He has proven Himself over and over again. Just think, the things that were burdening you a year ago have changed. Perhaps they are even resolved, or on the road to healing. You are growing and changing and developing godly characteristics. We often can only see the single step ahead of us, but God is focused on both the past, the present, and the future.

When we fix our eyes on the end, we can trust God with the steps it takes to get there. So today, give God whatever is burdening you. Allow yourself to rest and find peace in the here and now. And remember that no matter what, what’s ahead is better than what is gone. Don’t give up. ❤

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 7:25

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

What Does Justice Truly Look Like?

You may be unsure how to look at justice, especially in light of recent events and controversies. Yet, through Jonah’s story from the Old Testament, we can learn how to go about achieving justice in the way God intended.

Justice. A word that’s been thrown around a lot recently, and for good reason. Between recognizing the need for racial reconciliation, the attacks on democracy and freedom in many countries, and most recently, the devastating acts taken against innocent people in Afghanistan.

Yet, within the church, there’s much division over the idea of justice. Some argue that we shouldn’t fight for justice because that’s not our place. Others think that if people don’t do everything within their power to achieve equity, they are not Christian. Lots of arguments have been made, but very few healthy discussions.

You may be wondering where you should stand on the justice issue. Is it wrong to fight for justice when we’re supposed to trust God? Should justice be our number one priority?

Well, I can’t give you an exact, step-by-step answer. The amount of effort you should make in any situation should depend on what God tells you through prayer, reading the Bible, and trusted people in your life who understand the situation fully. However, in this space here, I want to have an open discussion about justice. I’ve been thinking about it in light of current events, and after reading the books of Jonah and Nahum.

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, justice is “the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments”.

Sometimes, just looking at what a word actually means can help us understand an issue better. The word that stands out to me is “impartial”. Often, when we stake a claim on an issue, we refuse to see the other side. “What’s there to see,” we rationalize. “My side is the only humane side! If I expose myself to the other side, I’ll get brainwashed!”

The main issue when we get fixated on the way we see the world is that when people don’t receive the punishment we believe they deserve, we get angry at God. It doesn’t seem fair for them to get away so easily! If only we were in charge…

And, in certain issues, that would really make sense, wouldn’t it? Especially when innocent people are getting hurt.

God wants us to care about those who are weak, marginalized, and oppressed. In fact, Jesus calls us to do exactly that, by following His example. He demonstrated this unconditional love countless times, particularly when He came to Earth and spent time with the outcasts in society.

But as much as He wants us to care about others, He wants us to care about our relationship with Him. And one of the biggest keys to a healthy relationship is building it on trust. Trusting God is not passive; it requires active participation and listening to what God is calling us to do. Yet it isn’t easy when God is calling us to love our enemies rather than punish them.

Take Jonah’s situation for example. Jonah often gets a bad rap, and for good reason, right? On the surface, his story is all about the consequences of disobeying God, acting selfishly, and without grace. I was even more furious at him when I learned the real reason why he didn’t want to go to Ninevah. He knew that God would save those people. He hated them so much that he didn’t want them to be saved!

However, as I took a deeper look into Jonah’s story, I realized something that’s a little painful. The reason many of us, or at least I, tend to look down on Jonah is because I’m guilty of being similar to him in certain situations.

Just think about it: Jonah’s desires weren’t all that crazy. He hated the Ninevites for good reason. They were the enemy of his people. They were known to be violent and haters of God. God doesn’t take destroying a city lightly, so the fact that this was a viable threat to them shows the seriousness of the situation. Jonah saw injustice and he wanted justice to be served.

And, I’ll go so far to say, justice was served. Just…not in the way Jonah expected.

Jonah does everything he can to achieve justice his way. His act of running away may have looked like an act of fear, yet it was really strategic on his part. He was doing what he felt was right to keep his own people safe. But after his rather “fishy” experience of being saved by God’s grace, Jonah goes on to do exactly as God commanded him to do. Afterwards, he sits up on a hill in the scorching sun, where God provides him a tree, and waits for God to do His “justice thing”.

But nope. No raining fire down from Heaven or giant explosion. Nothing. Oh, except for the tree withering, which causes Jonah to have a meltdown. I always used to look down on Jonah for acting so childishly, yet when everything seems to be going wrong, it’s easy to break down and protest over the tiniest inconvenience.

To us, God’s justice seems to be the best option in this situation. People’s hearts were changed by Jonah’s words, which saves more lives than if God had destroyed the city. Then, in Nahum, we learn that when God knew the later generations of Ninevites wouldn’t have soft hearts, He ended up destroying the city, which is exactly what Jonah had wanted. Yet only God knew which hearts would change, and because of His never-ending grace, He gave the people the time they needed to grow.

But to Jonah, who could only see a sliver of what God could see, the situation was dire. Nothing seemed fair, and that’s the thing about God’s grace, it isn’t fair. But the unfairness doesn’t happen to us, necessarily. It happens to God. It isn’t fair to God to send His only Son to die for us. It isn’t fair to God to save Jonah after he disobeyed and disrespected Him. It isn’t fair to God to rescue violent people and give them a second chance. Yet it’s through His love and knowledge that’s distributed equally to us that He allows unfairness to exist. And through that wisdom, His justice is served.

The unrepentant people will be punished, even if not on Earth. But the ones whose hearts accept Jesus will be saved. And we should simply be thankful for that.

Yet, though we call for equal rights, we are often angry by God’s equal love. We don’t like that God loves people on the other side as much as He loves us. We don’t like that God gives second chances. We don’t like that our enemy has the same opportunities that we have to God’s mercy and forgiveness.

We, my friends, are like Jonah. We have received God’s grace. We have received numerous chances. We are given more than what we can possibly ask for, yet we often focus our eyes on what seems unfair to us.

I am extremely guilty of only paying attention to the present trials. I often forget that our God is a God of the future, the present, and the past. God has proven Himself time and time again. He wants us to understand that justice will be served, but not in our way, in His way. And His way is always right.

Why, you may ask, is His way always right? Because He is the only one who can comprehend the bigger picture. It’s honestly a wonderful thing to not have to be burdened with the knowledge of everything. God is freeing us from that burden and allowing us to simply be present in the lives of those around us. He wants us to continue calling out to Him, to yearn for justice, but for that justice to be out of His love and grace and discernment.

I don’t want you to stop seeking justice. I don’t want you to stop caring about people in need. That wouldn’t be biblical at all.

What I want, however, is for us to long for what God wants. I don’t want us to waste our lives second-guessing God’s choices. God knows exactly what He’s doing, and it’s for the greater good. I am praying for us to have peace as we do as much as we can to show others God’s love and realize that’s enough.

God is a God of justice and He will never fail.

When my life was ebbing away,

    I remembered you, Lord,

and my prayer rose to you,

    to your holy temple.

Jonah 2:7

I knew that you are a graciousand compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 

Jonah 4:2

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;

    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

Nahum 1:3

When Life Comes to a Stand Still

Do you feel stuck, like life is passing you by without any meaning? Here’s hope for the slow-moving times.

Did you know that we (assuming you’re on Earth 😉) are currently moving at 1000 miles per hour around the sun? That’s faster than any roller coaster, mode of transportation, or animal on our planet. Yet, as I stare at the unmoving objects on my desk, it sure doesn’t feel like we’re spinning around at crazy fast speeds. But here we are, changing with each passing minute, time ticking away.

I once heard the old proverb, “Life stops for no one, not even you.” Yet sometimes, it feels like life is at a standstill. We haven’t received the result that could change everything. We haven’t heard back from the person we’re worried about. We haven’t gotten all the answers, the purpose behind our pain. It feels like God is keeping something from us, the key to our contentment.

But here’s the thing: once we get that answer or achieve that goal, we will just move on to something else. If we don’t focus on the growth that happens during the waiting, we miss out on making the most of every season of our lives, even the slow, painful ones.

The truth is, despite how you might feel, a lot is happening. Inside of you, you are deepening your relationship with God. By listening to Him, you are becoming more mature, compassionate, and understanding. During this time, if you spend time with Jesus, you will begin to develop His characteristics. He is equipping you for the important task ahead. On the outside, things are happening behind the scenes that you don’t know about. Maybe they aren’t happening the way you expect, but developments are being made.

You will not be stuck in this season forever. So instead of seeing yourself as helpless, realize that maybe you can even rejoice during this time. There is truly no wasted season when it comes to God’s plans. He understands exactly the amount of time it will take for you to grow into the person He needs you to be.

You are growing. You are changing. You are becoming someone the younger version of you would be proud of. Spend today thanking God for all He is doing in your life and remember that there is so much more to come. ❤

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

Psalm 33:20

Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.

Psalm 38:15

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Psalm 130:5

Song Recommendation: 2009, by Sarah Reeves: https://youtu.be/_GGdl257Fzk

Are My Problems Too Big for God?

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by life. What burdens do you need to give to God today?

It’s easy to forget that God is, well, God. The most powerful Being to ever exist. The One who created the solar system and oxygen and humans and giraffes (yes, giraffes, because they are awesome and who else could even think of that kind of creature??) and more things than there are numbers to count them!

It’s especially easy to forget that we should be in awe of God when life is going, in the words of my friend, pretty stinky. Because when things don’t go the way we planned or when it’s hard to see how God could possibly use this difficult or painful or downright irritating situation, we lose hope. We forget why it’s actually a positive thing to have God in charge.

Recently, I’ve witnessed a person I care about go through one of the hardest times of his life. It’s hard to understand why God can allow him to hit such a low. It’s one thing to want everyone to be saved and to know God loves them, but it’s completely another when you see a person who has such potential and already a close relationship with God be in such pain.

I’m sure we’ve all had our moments of doubt. Perhaps it was after an opportunity fell through or a relationship ended or a passion died out. We wonder why God has taken us through such barren wasteland, or maybe we even second-guess ourselves and wonder if we were even following God to begin with.

Yet over the past several weeks, as I’ve experienced both extreme joy and sorrow, as well as disappointment and confusion, God has made one thing clear to me. Before we are even born, God has chosen us. He has a purpose for us, and instead of that purpose being some sort of “idea” floating around, it is a tangible thing. God is intentional. He never allows us to experience anything that He didn’t take into account for.

Two and a half years ago, during one of the toughest times of my life, God sent me a verse, Psalm 116:8, “For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.” Little did I know how that verse would play a role in my faith journey years later.

I wouldn’t call myself an artist, or at least a painter. However, I do enjoy painting as it’s very therapeutic for me. I’ve given my paintings, usually an abstract or ombre background with a verse or inspirational quote, as gifts before. I felt God leading me to paint something for my friend going through a rough time. I knew I should paint a verse, yet I wasn’t sure what verse to paint.

Ironically, the day before, I randomly decided to go through my old journals (there are 19 of them, so it’s no small feat, but clearly something I don’t do often). Anyway, I came across Psalm 116, which I had forgotten over time.

In that moment, I knew that was the passage to choose a verse from. I landed on verse 6 because it seemed more fitting. The next morning, right before I delivered the gift, I noticed my verse of the day, which just so happened to be Psalm 116:8.

God knew back when He first gave me that verse that it would encourage me, and someday be used through me to encourage another person. God had already chosen me for the tasks He’s given me now way back then and even before that.

It’s easy to think that our problems are too big for God. But let’s be honest, while our problems are difficult and can hurt, are they really bigger than defeating evil and creating the entire universe? I don’t think so.

God’s got this. I know it’s easier said than believed, but if you really think back, perhaps you can see how God has worked through situations you previously couldn’t understand. God can do so much through us, but we have to listen to Him. We have to trust that even when things don’t make sense, He has a bigger plan. He knows the future and He will only give us what’s meant for us.

So when you’re disappointed or overwhelmed, give those feelings to God. Remember that He has your best interest in mind and He is always with you.

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Psalm 117:1-2

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Romans 11:33

The Lord protects the unwary,

When I was brought low, He saved me.

Return to your rest, my soul,
    for the Lord has been good to you.

Psalm 116:6-7