When Trials in Life Hit Hard

I posted about this on social media last night, but I’ve been having a rough time. I’m not sure if it’s my depression playing tricks on my mind, hormones, lack of restful sleep this week, or even spiritual warfare (or maybe a combination of any of those), but I’ve been experiencing pockets of deep sadness… the kind of sadness that sticks in your throat like a lump… the kind of sadness that feels too heavy & makes me want to slump to the floor in tears from the weight of it.

AND I have been having anxiety pretty frequently—not worrying anxiety, but more like overstimulation causing my brain & body to sort of short circuit, like the room gets hot & feels like it’s closing in on me & my breathing & heartrate quicken & I feel jittery & numb & it just feels very weird & unsettling when it happens. My guess is all the quarantine & social distancing rewired my brain to where now it can’t handle stimulation like it used to & just gets overwhelmed far too easily.

And on top of all that, I am battling a huge migraine right now & sort of feel like throwing up.

So, that’s my reality at the moment—glamorous, I know.

I Have Heaven to Look Forward to, But I Have Work to Do While I’m Still Here on Earth

But even though I feel weak on so many levels right now, I have also seen God show up in my lacking. I have determined to stay faithful to my responsibilities today despite it all & have felt God helping me make it happen. I may not feel good, but I feel sustained.

Sometimes the inconvenience of my anxiety (aka stop everything & head to the nearest dressing room or bathroom stall at the mall so I can take a moment to take some deep breaths) & the deep pockets of sadness that hit me & other things like this impossibly annoying migraine I’m currently experiencing… & it makes me cry & say, “God, can I just go to heaven now? I’m so over this,” because I don’t like suffering.

But I have to be so careful not to let despair creep in & take over. If I am still here, it’s because there’s work left to do to bring God glory… & because God knows that He is more than enough for me… even on my worst days.

I have to be intentional in clinging to truth & clinging to Him.

Jesus Gave It All, And God Continues to Offer Me His All–He Is the Vine & I am the Branch

Yes, it’s true, because of what Jesus did for me—condescending Himself as God become man, dying the death I deserve for my wrongs against God, & being raised again, conquering both death & my debt to God, my sin against God—because of that, because I have put my trust in that grace that saved me, in Jesus—I can count on Heaven. I have that assurance to rest in when things feel so hard. Not because I’m enough, but because He is.

But God has work for me to do while I am here, to serve & love others, to be an encouragement, to edify & build up others by pointing to Him as my source of HOPE & reminding others where to run in every life situation—Him… To share JESUS.

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

My Purpose (& Yours) Is to Bring God Glory

As long as He has me here, it’s because He has good works He has planned in advance for me to do. My life has a purpose—to glorify Him, to make Him known.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

When Life Is Hard-Cling to Truth & Cling to God

And that’s why I must choose in the darkest of moments, whether it be a truly difficult circumstance or whether Satan is exploiting a situation to make me focus on how big the problem is & forget how much bigger my God is… when life is hard, I must choose to cling to truth & cling to God.

I must choose to trust that God is enough for me even when I am not enough for myself.

I must choose to let Him be my strength even if He doesn’t give me any of my strength back.

I must accept my frailty & cling to His almighty-ness.

I must let Him be GOD in my life.

Hard Doesn’t Have to Equal Bad Because You Can Rest It in God’s Almighty Hands

So, yes, days have felt pockets of hard times this past week, made worse today with my migraine… but God is enough for me in it & I will choose to cling to that truth & cling to Him.

I will choose to still live to give Him glory… because He deserves it… no matter what happens, good or bad. May it all lead back to His glory.

Maybe you’re feeling similarly. Maybe not. Maybe even worse than me. Choose to cling to truth, GOD’s truth. Choose to serve & live for Him anyway. Choose to cling to Him as your sufficiency & hope in all things. Choose to give God the glory.

Shine HOPE, even on your darker, harder days. Always.

Coming Next Week

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A Note from Michelle:

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Celestial Blue Handbag Strap (India)

This genuine leather Celestial Blue Handbag Strap has a stunning twisted design and is reversible, featuring cobalt blue on one side with white stitching and black on the other. Perfect to pair with the Eclipse Handbag and our Raven Belt Bag! This comfortable strap can be worn as a shoulder strap or could be worn as a crossbody.

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Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!