“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15
Life is a strange thing because of the different seasons it produces. Some seasons are safe, comfortable, and joyful, while others can be accompanied by pain and confusion. How we respond to these seasons, though, is so important.
When we are in a season of safety, we feel so free and full of so much laughter and joy. We can either boast in our own accomplishments, or praise God and enthusiastically put all of our focus on Him. The decision you make is crucial to living an abundant life.
But today, I want to focus on the hard seasons. In these seasons, when we feel as though our light has been dimmed, our natural reaction is almost always to try to manage discomfort in destructive and sinful ways. For me, my natural tendency is to turn to gluttony – whether that be through food, social media consumption, shopping, you name it. However, when I allow myself to conform to a self-serving, self-idealizing, and mind-cluttering culture, it leads to nothing but a heart that fosters and environment of discontentment and desires for something deeper.
But when we shift our focus – and I mean intentionally and purposefully work hard to do so – we experience blessings. It’s not an easy process by any means, and sometimes we need people to walk alongside of us in those times (which puts our hearts in an extremely vulnerable state.) However, when we come out the other side, we realize that our pain coerced us to take part in self- reflection, and correspondingly, we grow in maturity.
With every error we make or struggle we face, we are forced to asked ourselves the hard questions: What are the things that truly give me joy in life? How am I spending my time? Is being comfortable the best thing for me? What am I doing to invest in my heart, my future, and my peace?
Check out these great Bible verses about running to God in times of hardship!
“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
“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
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” – Psalm 9:9-10
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” – Psalm 32:7-8
What’s your outlook in the hard times? Is it one of Self-Focus or Christ-Focus? Will you choose to shrink back or grow and bear beautiful fruit? It’s a make-or-break decision, so let’s choose the latter!
Written by Erin C: Erin served for four years as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, spending time with her precious nieces, shopping, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!