Hope – Page 28 – The Will to Wake Up

Why Do You Believe?

Have you ever asked yourself why you believe what you believe?

The most important question to ask is “Why?”. We should ask ourselves why are we doing what we’re doing. We should ask others why they believe what they believe so that we can better understand them. We should even ask God why, because then we open our minds to understanding His greater purpose for everything.

I asked my Bible study one of the hardest, yet most important, questions we can ask ourselves as followers of Christ: Why do you believe in Jesus? I limited them to only a few sentences, since we all had shared our testimonies before, and because if an unbeliever asks us this, they likely don’t want to hear an entire essay response.

My answer was this:

I believe in Jesus because I have experienced His love and grace firsthand. He has brought me through the toughest seasons of my life by giving me a feeling of peace that couldn’t have come from anyone else. He gives my life a purpose, the purpose everyone longs for until they find Him.

What I loved most about this exercise was the diversity in responses. Some spoke of Jesus’ forgiveness and grace. Others focused on His love and kindness. Many cited times of when Jesus did something in their lives that changed their perspectives.

There’s this false idea that we all have to come to faith the same way. We must have a “mountain top experience” and never have doubts afterwards. We must be faithful church-goers, have all the answers, and have an unwavering trust in God.

But that isn’t true. While it’s wonderful for those of us who’ve had mountain-top experiences, it isn’t required for being a true believer. It’s normal, and even healthy, to have doubts. We just need to bring our questions to God. It’s good to go to church, to understand the Bible, and to trust God, yet our faith journey is like a rollercoaster sometimes, especially at the beginning. Just because you are struggling to trust God or find the right community for a season doesn’t mean you aren’t saved. What’s important is that you’re seeking God with all your heart.

Today, ask yourself the tough question: Why do you believe in Jesus? Write down whatever comes to mind. This will not only prepare you for answering that question in the future, but it will solidify your faith. Those doubts often come from not knowing why or what we believe in. Often, finding these answers and reminding yourself of how God has taken care of you will give you peace.

Once you allow God’s peace to fill your heart, you’ll feel free to let go.

Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.
1 Chronicles 22:19

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
Acts 17:27

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

Signs to Keep Going

This is a sign for you: Don’t give up. ❤

Don’t give up. How easy it is to write those words, to say those words. How difficult it is to live by those words.

In the movies, characters often come to that pivotal moment of understanding this truth. They are about to jump, about to say goodbye to their dreams, when all of a sudden, there’s a breakthrough. Perhaps the world finally recognizes their efforts or a love walks in with a reminder of their worth. It’s always this big, dramatic event.

So when we don’t see the results we’re looking for and don’t receive a “breakthrough” moment, how are we supposed to not give up?

For me, it comes in signs from God. I’ll have an inspirational post pop up in my feed, reminding me to keep going. Maybe a friend will call and encourage me. Today, my reminder to not give up came in such a way that I cannot deny God was behind it.

I’d hardly call myself an influencer, though I’d like to be in the future. However, for lack of a better word, influencers often come to a point in their creating journey where they have to ask themselves why they are still sharing content. Is it because of the likes and follows or because they have a passion for what they are sharing? Post insights have a way of distracting us from remembering our reason for creating.

Unfortunately, I fell into this trap this morning while looking at this blog’s insights. But then, I noticed a notification by the comments tab and I clicked on it. Two incredibly encouraging comments were there, ones that had been posted fifteen days ago, yet I had somehow not seen them until today. Simple words of hope that brought a smile to my face and a reason to keep writing. God knew I needed to see them today. God’s little reminder to not give up.

If you’re looking for a sign today, here it is. Don’t give up. I know it’s hard when everything seems to be telling you otherwise. God rewards the patient and perseverance. He’s working through whatever you’re going through, and even if things don’t end up the way you hope, it will end up better. Anything done in love is worthwhile. You are loved, seen, and believed in. Keep going.

But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:7

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis 50:20

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Saying the “Right” Thing

Have you been turned away from faith by a person’s words? Or worse, have you said the wrong thing and now regret it? Here’s some advice and encouragement!

I was saddened yesterday by a post a peer shared about the reason she despises all religions, specifically Christianity. She explained that her family “forced it” on her growing up and that a pastor’s weak condolence of “it’s all part of God’s plan” at her grandmother’s funeral was the final nail in the coffin in her rejection of God.

What makes me truly disheartened by this story is the truth that we, as believers, often say things like “it’s all part of God’s plan”. We usually say things like this when things are going well for us, and we want to cheer someone up. Or if we’ve had God reveal this to us through our own experiences. But we have to be careful not to make a few key mistakes when encouraging others in their faith.

What expectations are you holding for unbelievers?

A mentor wisely told me, “We have to be careful to not hold unbelievers to the same expectations we hold believers. After all, they don’t necessary know or care about what the Bible says, so why should we expect them to obey God’s commands?”

This is so true. While we shouldn’t condone sin, we have to realize that until they build a relationship with God, they aren’t going to understand the significance of repentance and God’s forgiveness. Holding them accountable will come in time, but first we must help them realize why they should even desire a relationship with God.

2. Are our words appropriate for the situation?

The pastor’s words to my peer weren’t lies. God does have a plan for everything. However, saying that off-handedly during a funeral may not be the best time. When others experience a significant loss, we shouldn’t force them to move on too quickly. We need to show them God’s comfort and love. Jesus, while on Earth, cried when He saw others suffering. In fact, He holds everyone’s tears in His hands even now. Being present with someone during their time of grief is more meaningful than spewing Bible verses at them. If the Spirit leads you to say something, then say it. But God can work even through our silent moments.

3. Do you have authority over what you are talking about?

My mom once described an old friend as “a person who likes to hear herself talk”. In fact, when making conversation with others, asking them lots of questions is a good start because people enjoy talking about themselves. This can all be fine and good, but when it comes down to witnessing to others, this can often be a shortcoming.

A lot of times we want to share a random tidbit of information we read online, even when we don’t have all the facts. Or we want to answer others’ questions even when we have no authority over the subject. When you are telling someone about Jesus, don’t start creating your own theology or make up answers to their questions. Instead, share personal stories of how Jesus has changed your life.

The best thing to do to be prepared for opportunities to share your faith is reading the Bible. That way you will have authority over what you’re speaking about. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead your discussions. God can give you wisdom right when you need it most.

Anyone who loves Jesus and desires to do His will can be a good witness for Him. Just make sure you’re sharing information that you know will actually benefit and encourage others.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:26

My peer’s grandma died of pancreatic cancer, which was the same disease that killed my church’s pastor. However, throughout my pastor’s journey, He grew closer to God and inspired others to keep holding onto faith.

While writing a condolence card for my pastor’s son, I considered sounding full of faith by saying, “God knows what’s best” and “Everything happens for a reason”. But instead, I wrote, “I honestly don’t know why this has happened to your family. But I do know that God has wonderful plans in store for your future.”

By admitting this, I didn’t deny God’s greater plan or the pain of his loss. But I didn’t pretend like I had all the answers, because I don’t. When we are vulnerable and honest, we are not lacking faith, we are becoming more relatable to those curious about God. Perhaps I could’ve said something different, something better. But I’m going to choose to believe that I said the best that I could because I prayed about each word I wrote. We often don’t say “the perfect thing”, but if we truly believe we did what God called us to, we don’t have to have regrets.

We may never fully understand God’s plan while on Earth. God wants us to fully grieve and appreciate those we have lost. There are two things that give me hope during seasons of grief:

God is right beside us. He knows and understands everything we’re feeling. His love isn’t dependent on how we behave or our circumstances.
Our sense of time is so different from God’s. A lifetime down here may be a blink of an eye up in Heaven. Though it’s hard to move forward after a loss, eventually we will be reunited again, this time for eternity.

Now that’s something to look forward to.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:11-14

The Reason for Life

Do you ever wonder why you’re here? Here’s some encouragement.

Spending time with horses has taught me about overcoming fear, trusting others, and building relationships. But one of the greatest takeaways from spending time at the barn is an expression my instructor uses frequently: Where you look is where you’ll go.

In the horse world (and driving world, I’ve learned), this literally means that where your eyes are, that’s where you’ll end up. Horses can sense what you’re focused on and how you’re feeling, which is partially why this happens. But the main reason is that when we are focused on something, the rest of our body follows suite to get us there. We often don’t notice these subtle changes, like turning our hands or shifting our weight to one side. But our horses notice, and eventually if we’re focused on the wrong thing, we’ll notice too.

Part of my job with working with riders is taking the beginner riders on the longe line, which is this long rope that goes from the horse’s head to me. If the horse is too close to me, then he won’t go, but if he’s too far away, then I am no longer in control. This can be an issue since kids on the longe line are practicing riding without reins to get muscle control and build their core, as well as their courage. They rely on me to keep them safe, yet they have to do their part too by keeping their horse at the right distance away.

Occasionally, (okay, often), a young rider gets distracted by the other, more advanced riders out in the arena. They are looking at them instead of looking ahead in the direction they need to go. That allows the horse to take the opportunity to go where he isn’t supposed to, often ending up in a frustrating situation for all of us.

If you’re not a horse-person and you’ve stuck with me this far, great job! I promise this leads somewhere. You see, I’ve come to learn that “where you look is where you go” applies to life too. I mean, sometimes we wish this literally was the case, since then we wouldn’t have to walk anywhere, we could just appear there. But when it comes to goals, if we get distracted, we will never get to where we want to go.

More importantly, when we don’t focus on Jesus, our lives go off-course. I’ve talked about focusing on Jesus countless times, because that’s the only way to have a fulfilling life. When Jesus gets taken out of the picture, the reason behind our existence disappears too.

My friend and I were discussing the meaning of life a couple months ago. (A light topic, I know) When I really get into a conversation, I say whatever comes to me without thinking through it, which can sometimes be a good thing, actually. I told her that if we didn’t have a purpose in life (aka living for Jesus, fulfilling His will) then we wouldn’t want to life. She gave me a startled look and clarified, “So if I didn’t know my purpose, I would just want to die?”

I thought for a moment. Was that really what I meant?

Maybe it actually was.

You see, whether you realize it or not, we spend our entire lives searching for our purpose. When we finally figure things out, we realize that “knowing our purpose” isn’t having some step-by-step formula of how we want life to go. It doesn’t have to be knowing our career path or who we’ll end up with. It just means realizing our purpose is found in relationship with Jesus. Apart from that, we live empty, shallow lives.

So if you’re freaking out because you don’t have answers, don’t be scared. No one has all the answers. We may never have all the answers on this side of Heaven. But as long as you are relentlessly pursuing Jesus, you will find your purpose, I can promise you that.

You are here for a reason. You are loved.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:2-4

Keep Running to Jesus

When your prayers aren’t answered the way you hoped, do you cling to Jesus or stop running to Him?

God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything He knows.
Timothy Keller

Though I read this quote for the first time today, I have been grappling to understand its meaning for years now. Is it really true? Does God really know what’s best for us? Is there a reason behind this waiting, suffering, and discouragement?

My consensus: Yes.

This comes in the wake of an incredibly discouraging week. I’ll spare you most of the details, but a few of the highlights include watching a ministry plummet, learning of a friend’s recent loss, and getting my hopes up about a certain situation (which I’ll go into more detail in) just to get them dashed.

To give some background to this “certain situation”, I must tell you that relationships are everything to me. You’d have to get to know me before realizing that I truly put my all into them. Last summer, a dream came true when one of my best friends visited for a week. We had been friends for years, but this was the first time we spent time together in person. That only strengthened our friendship, yet shortly after we began realizing technology wasn’t on our side. With several states in between us, communicating by phone is crucial. Since late August until last Tuesday, we had only Facetimed once, had a handful of texts, and one voice call. This was extremely draining for both of us, since we had become each other’s confidants and relied on each other. I honestly wasn’t even sure if she was okay and the hardest part was not having any way of finding out.

God’s taught me about control and persistence through this experience. He’s reminded me (as I so often need to remember) that He’s the one in control, not me. He’s whispered “never give up” in my ear countless times. I can’t say I haven’t grown from this experience, despite its difficulty.

Last Tuesday, we thought we had found a solution. We eagerly talked on the phone for half an hour, planning our next call and looking forward to arranging times to get together this summer. I thought I couldn’t be happier! But that night, I realized that our solution was only temporary. Our phones had somehow reversed themselves back again. We had literally tried everything we could think of and more.

During the day on Tuesday, I almost posted about my experience (prior to learning the solution hadn’t worked). On Monday night, as I lay in bed, struggling to fall asleep, I told God about my frustrations over this seemingly hopeless situation. As I shared in my previous post, I’ve been learning about how important it is to be vulnerable with God. So when the impossible happened on Tuesday, I praised God.

It’s taken me two days to think about why what I thought God was giving me had to be taken away again. I’m still not sure, but I have a few ideas.

I wasn’t wrong to praise God on Tuesday. I can (and should) still praise God today, and every day. Even when He doesn’t “come through” the way I want Him to, He’s still a good Father. God gave me what I needed. He gave me the hope to keep going. He allowed us to talk on the phone. The gift of hearing a close friend’s voice after months of silence is invigorating. He reminded me of the importance of gratitude, of not jumping ahead to the next “want/need” before saying thank you and relishing the sense of contentment.

In my Bible study today, I read the story of Lazarus rising from the dead. I’ve heard this story many times, but reading it today gave me new insight.

It was out of Jesus’ love and compassion for Martha and Mary (Lazarus’ sisters) that He didn’t come and heal Lazarus when they called out to Him. He knew what they wanted even before they requested it. But in verse 5 it says,

“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, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.'”

He waited in order to give them an even bigger miracle– a resurrection from the dead! This story could’ve been another healing (which albeit is still incredible), but instead it became a story that would bring a community from disbelief to belief. From grief to rejoicing. From hopeless to hopeful.

Martha and Mary could’ve easily believed that Jesus stopped loving them or didn’t care about their situation when He didn’t show up the way they expected. They could’ve ignored Him when He came two days “late”. But instead, they ran to Him and cried with Him. They asked Him the “hard questions”. And Jesus honored that.

It’s so easy to doubt Jesus when things don’t go our way. But the most important thing to believe when we’re in a tough situation is that God knows what’s best and He’s the only one in charge. Jesus hears every prayer you say, whether out loud, in your head, or in your heart. If you run to Jesus, He will lovingly embrace you. So what’s stopping you?

Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
John 11:41

The Lord brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
1 Samuel 2:6

Hope Amidst the Chaos

Is it hard for you to find hope amidst all that’s going on in the world right now? Here’s some encouragement.

If I surveyed every person on Earth, I bet the general consensus would be our world is in a state of chaos. Numerous people are dying from COVID and other illnesses, there is so much division and animosity (even within the church), and people have turned away from the only true source of love and joy. But the truth is, God is no stranger to all that’s going on. Just check out the Bible, and you’ll read about things much stranger than what’s happening right now.

I’ve been trying to read the entire Bible, and I’m currently in Ezekiel. (For those of you who remember it, don’t worry, I’m not focusing on the *extra interesting* parts…if you know, you know). Anyway! There is a lot of drama happening in Ezekiel, for those of you who haven’t read it. Basically, God is using symbolism to tell Ezekiel about the coming punishment the Israelites will face due to their lack of loyalty and love for God. They had turned away from Him, allowing idols to fill their hearts instead.

Now doesn’t that sound familiar? Our world feels so dark these days, like everyone’s lost hope in God.

Something fascinating after each warning from God in Ezekiel is the phrase “Now they will know that I am the Lord”. God is using these terrible events to help His people turn back to Him and realize His power.

This actually brings me a lot of comfort. You might be wondering, “Hannah, how can knowing that God is judging us for our unfaithfulness bring you comfort?”

During a Bible study about our life’s purpose, I shared that the defining factor that makes a life successful is bringing others to Jesus. It doesn’t matter if you had no money in the bank, struggled to keep up in school, or were unpopular. As long as you reap eternal rewards, your life’s meaningful.

The best thing that can happen to our world is a spiritual revival. If these horrible things, such as oppression, illness, poverty, (the list could go on…) make people understand God, then isn’t it all worth it?

Yes, the suffering is terrible. I definitely don’t want to undermine it. We should be helping people suffer less. But maybe within the suffering, there’s a sign from God. A clear message painted across the sky, in fact.

God is the only one in control. He knows what He’s doing.

The best part of that is we don’t have to worry about a thing. The most important thing we can do right now is place our trust and hope in God. God hears us, and He answers, whether it be in a still, small whisper, or a loud roar.

With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
Psalm 136:12

Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 26:4

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Does the past cling onto you? Do old memories resurface in your mind far too often? Here is some encouragement.

Are you ever going about your day, things are going alright, and then suddenly it hits you– a memory from the past. This memory, whether pleasant or embarrassing or painful, persistently pushes its way into your mind until you feel obligated to think about it. After a few minutes, you’ve stopped everything just to ruminate on the past. You start feeling discontent, uncomfortable, and perhaps even angry. Maybe something is haunting you or you miss the safety of the “known”.

Believe it or not, the Bible doesn’t kid around when it comes to warning us about getting “stuck in the past”. Take Lot’s wife. Her family was saved by God (with a little help from Abraham) from a terrible city just before its destruction. Yet she still looked back, and then poof, she became a pillar of salt!

I’ve often wondered why she was tempted to look back on such a horrible time in her life. Though don’t we often fixate on those moments we wish we could change? That one mistake that led us here. Or perhaps there’s a sense of safety, even in a painful past, that the unknown future doesn’t give us?

Yet I believe with my whole heart that looking back can destroy us. I don’t take this issue lightly, and it’s because I’ve been “destroyed” in this way. No, I haven’t become a pillar of salt, but I have missed out on enjoying the present by focusing on the past. I’ve also lost self-confidence, self-respect, and gratitude to God during these darker moments of my life.

Sometimes it seems harmless to allow those memories to fill our minds. But they tend to take over, an unwelcome guest, staying “rent free” in our heads. I’ll give you a recent example from my life, and perhaps you can think of your own.

A little less than a year ago, a relationship I had poured myself into began dwindling away. I deeply grieved this loss and spent much of the summer and fall wondering what I had done wrong. But over time, I was able to move past it and allow myself to let go. However, every so often, a memory will pop into my mind. Usually it’s an embarrassing one, and I start criticizing myself all over again.

Now, this isn’t constructive in the least bit. I’m just hurting myself all over again when there’s nothing more I can do to “make things right”. And I’ll bet these “mistakes” I made in conversations weren’t what caused our relationship to take a different turn than what I had hoped for. We like to blame the wrong things when life changes naturally, don’t we?

But you know what the saddest thing about this situation is? I’ve let these intrusive thoughts separate me from God. I’ve taken more time to relive a bad memory and secretly wish to be back there to reverse things than thank God for all He’s currently doing in my life. By going back to that unhealthy place, I’m not giving myself the respect that I deserve either. And you know what? It’s been proven that our memory changes with time. Who knows if what we remember is even the truth?

Just for the record, I’m not saying looking back on the past is a bad thing. And we shouldn’t sugarcoat the bad things that have happened in our lives just to please others or because we think we have to. But we also shouldn’t allow the past to control the present. In fact, it shouldn’t even be the biggest influencer in our present. God needs to be. Listening to the Holy Spirit needs to be. Noticing what makes you and those around you joyful needs to be.

There are so many things we can learn from the past. I mean, that’s why we have history class at school, right? But the bottom line is this: You will never miss out on what’s meant for you. When we focus on the past, we forget that vital truth. We stop trusting God and put our hopes and dreams into something that isn’t relevant anymore. And when we put our trust in God instead, we will begin to see the changes we were hoping for.

Next time you find yourself reminiscing, think about how God is using your past to help shape you for the future. Allow yourself to focus on what God is doing in the here and now. Remembering how God has proven Himself to you can encourage you. But so can paying attention to all the things God does on a daily basis! I hope and pray you are able to slowly let go and move onto the path God has laid out for you.

And that path, my friend, only leads forward.

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:18-19

(Normally I just end with Bible verses, but I found a few inspirational quotes that are encouraging too!)

Keep planting and sowing, living and knowing: beautiful things take time, and that is okay.
Morgan Harper Nichols

You are allowed to let go of all those that do not set you free anymore.
Dhiman

Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.
Elisabeth Elliot

“Skimming” Through the Hard Parts

Is it easy or difficult for you to confront your painful feelings? Here is some encouragement.

Growing up, I was always a fast reader. I’d love rereading my favorite stories, and one of the benefits of knowing the plot ahead of time was skipping or skimming through the parts I didn’t like. Those parts generally included descriptions of bodily harm, embarrassing moments (second-hand embarrassment is real!), and generally any time a character I liked got hurt.

It appears my method of “skimming through the hard parts” has stuck with me through the years. I’ve been journaling for several years now, during a time when I’ve changed a lot, and looking back at old entries makes me cringe! I used to enjoy going through old journals, but now I avoid it because I’d rather just ignore the embarrassing (or even painful) memories.

I’ve shared this before, but I’m not one who easily shares her feelings. I don’t like to admit something has hurt me. Perhaps I subconsciously think that admitting weakness makes me a weak person.

A wise mentor once told me that “the moment we admit something made us afraid, fear loses its power over us”. That will forever be one of my favorite quotes, and to think I heard it in person! Today my pastor tweaked this idea a little bit in a way that may help us both be willing to admit our wounds.

During my Easter series, one of the posts was focused on Thomas and how we can relate to him. Jesus welcomes our questions and our doubts; they aren’t signs of unbelief. Believe it or not, Jesus can handle whatever question we throw at Him!

In the service this morning, the pastor shared how Thomas was able to touch Jesus’ wounds for himself. They must have been healed in some way, right? Thomas wouldn’t have needed to even ask the question of where Jesus’ wounds were if Jesus had blood gushing out of His palms. But yet, there was still enough of a mark to show everyone that He was truly Jesus. And perhaps those wounds never went away until Jesus ascended into Heaven.

But did Jesus hide His wounds, these symbols of the pain and torture He endured? No, he opened conversation about them. He used them as ways to bring others into belief.

What kinds of wounds have you been carrying around with you? Perhaps it’s a painful loss, an abusive relationship, a childhood trauma. Or maybe it’s being rejected, not being seen, or feeling betrayed. Whatever you have been hiding, allow yourself to fully grieve.

You can only heal when you admit your pain and your loss. You can only heal when you allow yourself to feel what you’ve been avoiding, or “skimming”. You see, we can’t skip over the hard parts in life. We can’t speed up the grieving or healing process.

And in those moments of grief, if we turn to God, we can find belief. We can find answers. We can find unexplainable peace.

These wounds are always going to be a part of your story, but they don’t always have to be a painful part. They can lead others to Christ or bring you closer to God.

Today, ask yourself, “What am I running from? What about grief or loss makes me avoid it?” Allow God’s comfort to fill your heart.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Holy Week Series: When God Feels Far Away

Do you feel like God is silent? Are you struggling to believe in His promises for you? Here is some encouragement.

I once heard a pastor refer to Holy Saturday as the day when “everything was quiet”. The only events that are in the Bible that take place on Holy Saturday are the placement of the guards outside Jesus’ tomb, though I’d guess that the disciples are in hiding at this point and there is still a darkness and emptiness throughout the city. To those who loved Jesus, Holy Saturday probably felt like a terrifying, lonely time of confusion. Where was Jesus? How could He have possibly died this way? What does the future hold?

I’ve often wondered why Jesus rose on the third day. I’m sure someone with a Theology degree could explain all the reasons why the number 3 is important in the Bible, but it still puzzles me. Technically, Jesus could’ve been put in the tomb and suddenly sprung back to life on that same day. The Good Friday really would’ve been “good”, right? No waiting around, no anxious thoughts, no loss of hope.

But you know, I think the reason why Jesus waited three days was to test the faith of His followers. Did they believe that He would rise up again like He promised? Would they be waiting for His return? Or would they be disappointed, frustrated, and scared?

For us, knowing that Jesus did rise up again in a matter of mere days gives us hope. We didn’t have to live through those dark days of waiting. We already know that God had something better planned.

But still, we go through our own dark days where it feels like all hope is lost and God is silent. We cry out to God and wonder where He went. We feel abandoned, disappointed, and fearful. We forget about God’s promises.

The last time I felt this way was a few weeks ago. I felt stuck in my life and concerned about the future. I felt like I couldn’t hear God the way I used to. I lost perspective.

I once was given the wise advice that everything God is doing in the present moment is preparing us for the future. When we remember that God has a bigger plan, we don’t lose our hope when we feel alone. During those moments when we can’t hear God, it’s a test. God is testing us to see if we really do believe His promises. God promises to never leave us. God promises that He will make all things new. Do you believe that?

I’ve come to realize that after every dark season in my life, a wonderful, joyful season comes right after it. It’s like God was preparing me to enjoy and make the most of the season ahead by helping me persevere through the tough times.

Waiting feels like a long time for us because we don’t know when it will end. For us, three days is 72 hours. For the disciples, three days felt like eternity. But when we keep perspective during our times of waiting, we won’t lose our hope and faith. Nothing except eternal life with Jesus will last forever. This dark season will end, I promise. God has something wonderful planned for you. You are needed here.

I can’t tell you when the pain will stop or when you will finally be able to fully experience God’s love and grace. I don’t know what exactly will happen that will give you hope. But you can have that hope now by remembering that God always makes good on His promises. You don’t ever have to worry about God’s plan not working out. Trust me, or rather, trust God’s own words. He will always be victorious in the end. And when we are on His side, we will also win every battle against all the forms the enemy takes against us.

May you be filled with God’s strength and patience through every trial you are experiencing. Amen.

13 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

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.
Deuteronomy 4:31

Holy Week Series: The Pain of Humiliation

How can we learn from Jesus’ example when experiencing humiliating situations?

Today is Good Friday, when Jesus was mocked, flogged, and ultimately killed, events that we should all agree are anything but “good”. There are so many points I could share in this post about Good Friday, but what I’ll focus on today will be the utter humiliation Jesus had to experience before being crucified.

In a study by Psychology Today, they found that when you’re humiliated, “the degree to which your brain is activated is more pronounced than with other emotion-inducing conditions”. I often wonder how much physical pain we’d be willing to endure in order to avoid humiliation. Often during studies of Good Friday, there’s a lot of focus on the physical torturing Jesus experienced. And He went through so many things that no one should experience, not to mention the Son of God! He was flogged, had a crown of thorns put on His head, was struck on the head with a wooden staff, forced to carry a cross that was estimated to have weighed over 300 pounds, hung on a cross with nails pierced into His flesh, and later stabbed in the side with a sword. Even experiencing one of those things would be traumatizing and incredibly painful, yet Jesus endured them all.

But you know what might have hurt even more? Being the most powerful Being in the entire universe, being the Creator of us all, and being spit on, mocked at, striped of clothes, and ultimately feeling the weight of people’s unbelief in who He really is. He died because He is our King, our Messiah. It was out of the “self-interest” or “envy” of His betrayers that He was killed (Matt. 27:18).

And if you think about it, that’s why humiliation exists, huh? If we are envious of someone, we are tempted to put them down in order to feel better about ourselves. Sometimes when we hurt others by humiliating them, it’s because we are putting our needs above theirs. We’d rather get things done quickly, so we don’t phrase things the right way and it stings. We’d rather not deal with the messiness of Christ-centered relationships, so we just dump people. We’d rather think we know everything than admit that someone else is right.

On the flip side, when we are being humiliated, it’s easy for us to get upset at God or others. We don’t believe we deserve the humiliation (and we don’t when others intentionally humiliate us). But still, we can find strength to endure the times when we are humbled through seeing how Jesus responded to being humiliated. And let’s be honest, I highly doubt (and I certainly hope) that any of us will go through what Jesus went through.

Yet, through it all, Jesus was:

Self-controlled

Like He told His disciples, He could’ve sent a legion of angels there to defend Him. He had the power to destroy everyone in a single second. He could’ve revealed the deepest, darkest secrets of the people mocking Him. We might be tempted to take revenge against those who humiliate us, but instead we should follow His example and use self-control.

Silent

Now, I’m not telling you to suffer in silence if someone is hurting you. Please speak up if you are in a bad situation so that you can be helped.

However, if you are in a humbling situation, instead of getting all upset and egging on the people who are humiliating you, try Jesus’ approach of being quiet. Allow yourself to be filled with God’s love and peace instead of anger and discouragement.

Living out “Thy will be done”

Right before Jesus was arrested, He told His Father that while He would rather not suffer through all these painful things, He wanted God’s will to be done. We often pray that same prayer, yet how often do we actually believe it? Aren’t we easily swayed by our own timetables and frustrated when things don’t happen when or how we want them to?

Instead of being fixated on your plan, turn your eyes and heart to God’s plan for your life. Allow your prayer to be sincere and be open to what God wants you to do with your life.

A fact that may encourage you is that while being humiliated causes us to experience many difficult emotions, “the way you feel is a direct function of the way you think” (Psychology Today). Jesus was able to endure all those terrible things because He knew who He was (and is!). He’s Jesus, the One who will rise up again in three days, the One who will defeat the Enemy. When we remember who we are, when we find our worth in who God says we are rather than who the world defines us as, the affects of humiliation will be learning from our mistakes and solidifying who we are in Christ rather than pain, grief, or discouragement.

Today, thank Jesus for all the hardships He endured to save you. He loves you so much. When you are in humiliating situations, remember Jesus’ love for you and don’t take those harsh words of others to heart.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10