Sapped strength. Hateful attitudes. Weary souls. People who get paid to aggravate you every week. Bad news. Wicked spirits. Health setbacks. Petty insults. Unexpected losses. Political clowns. Wrongful employment terminations. Hate crimes. Justice not being properly served. Financial strains and setbacks. The death of loved ones and so much more, are all different things that may be contributing to storms and stress and pressures in your own life and/or in the lives of different people you know.
We’re all going through something.
I’ve personally experienced seasons where things were falling apart to the point where I’d cry out, God, why am I going through this? I don’t deserve this. Things should be better than this…
Stormy seasons can be stressful, isolating, and massively painful.
And trying to function as you normally would as if things were moving along just fine can be challenging when storms slide through. During stormy seasons, I sometimes think about David, the Psalms he wrote, and the moments he cried out to God during challenging and discouraging times.
Psalm 39:12 reads, “Hear my prayer, O Lord, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping.”
I don’t believe it’s God’s will for any of us to be miserable. Or in perpetual states of stress, fear, or pressure.
I believe He wants us to have peace and to live abundant lives filled with purpose and joy. And while it’s naive to expect perfection or a life without challenges or pain or loss, I know He wants the best for us and is with us through life’s storms. As difficult as things might seem sometimes, know that you are not alone. And if you’re reading this and in the midst of a storm of any kind, I hope you will be encouraged. I hope you know this too shall pass. Where you’re at and what you’re going through is not the end for you. There is a new beginning that awaits you and this is a vital time to draw near to God, listen to what He instructs you to do, and then move accordingly.