God's Resurrection Powerਨਮੂਨਾ

Walking Through Seasons of Pain

God never leaves our side. He is omnipresent, meaning that He is everywhere at all times. When we walk through the inevitable seasons of heaviness and emotional difficulty that is part of the human experience, God is there. He never leaves us nor forsakes us. We can find encouragement and hope in His ever-available, never-moving presence.

"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

The book of Psalms is filled with beautiful descriptive prayers, worship songs, laments, and poems. Some are filled with the rejoicing of God’s people, while there are psalms of deep pain and brokenness.

King David is the author of 75 of the 150 psalms. His psalms are a representation of his devotion to God through the most challenging seasons of his life: the loss of a child, an adulterous relationship, or on the run from a murderous King Saul.

Perhaps you’re experiencing a difficult emotional season right now—grief, anxiety, or depression. Or maybe you’re grieving the loss of a dream or expectation. Or someone you care for is hurting. How do we trust God in these moments of overwhelming sadness and pain?

In challenging seasons, it’s easy to lose sight of God’s power and His hand over our lives. Things can feel hopeless and out of our control. In these times, ask God to remind you of who He is. Praise Him for what He’s done in the past! God is capable of doing greater things than we can imagine. He goes to unexpected places and works things out in unimaginable ways.

Remember Moses and the Israelites fleeing Egypt?

“So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander.” -Exodus 14:6-7

As Pharaoh approached the Israelites, God’s people began to panic. Fear crept in. Anxiety overwhelmed them.

As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?” -Exodus 14:10-11

Can you relate to the response of Israel? Have you found yourself in a place where you’re crying out to God, and you feel like He’s not truly hearing you?

God delivered the Israelites that day, and He’s delivering you from whatever you’re going through. The Israelites likely never imagined that God would part the Red Sea. But God called the water to stand up like a wall on both sides, and they walked across on dry land. God shows up in the most unexpected and astounding ways.

God is working to restore things. From the time when sin entered into the stream of the human race, God has been working things out for mankind’s redemption and healing. Revelation 21:4-7 says:

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”

Trust that God is going before you and making a way to restore and deliver you from your pain, anxiety, and brokenness. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead cares for you and is working things out for your good according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Today, spend time praising God in advance for the beautiful things He is working out in your life.

"Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!" -Psalm 42:11

Father, You are mighty and strong! You restore things that are broken, and I praise You! Thank You for making a way for things to work out when I see no way. You hold all the power. You are mighty. You raised Jesus from the dead, and it’s with that same power that You are restoring what’s broken within me. Thank You in advance for how You’re healing me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Declare this truth over yourself as you pray and meditate on God’s Word: God’s restorative power is available through the blood of Jesus that covers me! Today I declare that the emotional brokenness of trauma, grief, pain, and anxiety has no hold over me. I trust in the restorative power of Jesus Christ.