How to Give God Glory When You Feel Stuck in Life
This week is another adaptation of my lesson prep for prison ministry.
I just felt that, although not prison, we all can have seasons where we feel stuck or trapped… especially like my seasons where I am struggling with depression…. And I have learned that even in those really hard, difficult times… sometimes those are the most prime times to be able to give God the glory because onlookers can more clearly see that it’s not at all because of me.
We’ve all had times in our lives when we feel stuck. Maybe it’s a season of grief or maybe an illness or injury… maybe it’s depression… maybe it’s prison.
When we’re in these seasons, where everything just seems hard & the hard doesn’t seem to ever want to stop… when you have no control… it can all be very discouraging. It can feel disheartening & like life is just beating you up.
And in those moments, we can possibly feel like, when our world feels so dark & grim—how are we supposed to give God glory?
But here I am to tell you that it is oftentimes in these moments where we have the MOST opportunity to give God the glory.
It’s Not about How Great You Look
I always say that when you’re doing something for God, its success does not hinge on everything going perfectly, but often in how you respond when nothing goes right.
You see, it shows more clearly where you end & where He begins. It shows where you humble your weakness to Him & trade it for His help.
Alternatively, when you are strong & everything in your world is going pretty smoothly, & everything seems to just be going according to plan… when you seem strong & capable… who are people going to praise? Who is going to get the glory in that? Oftentimes… you.
But, when everything is seeming to fall apart & you clearly don’t have a backup plan, but you stop & pray over it & see it all work out… who are they going to praise in that situation? More likely Him.
When someone looks at your life, do they see a strong, capable woman? Or do they see a woman who leans upon her Lord?
We’ll Always be a Work in Progress
I am definitely not always a pro at this—although the more times that I realize my need, that I need to stop, admit my limitations, & cry out to God for help in prayer, the more easily that response comes to me in the future.
Now, I’m also not saying to purposely act like a hot mess or drop the ball on every task to show that you trust God is in control—that would be irresponsible stewardship of the task God has put before you & show it doesn’t actually matter much to you at all.
Trust & reliance on GOD is not the same as inaction on your part.
But I am saying that when you do your best & it still all crumbles apart, don’t be scared of the failure… show others Who you turn to when you don’t have all the answers. Show them Who is your strength when you feel you have none.
Who knows, maybe that is the whole reason God granted you the stewardship over that… knowing it would fall apart… SO THAT people could have opportunity to firsthand witness you turning it over to God for help when it starts to fail. Maybe that was the point all along.
Yeah, I Am Weak… I Admit It
That is why I can be so open with struggling with depression pretty badly in some seasons of my life. Does it make me look good? No, not at all. People often judge me & say I am “just being dramatic.”
But does it show others my very real human weaknesses so that they can more clearly that where I succeed must not have been all me? Yes. In many cases, yes.
I want others to know where I fail & fall short. I want people to see where I screwed it up & felt I had no hope left. I want people to see where I end & where He begins…. I want HIM to get the glory in my life, not me.
I want others to see & know that any good from my life is not because I am a success or a strong woman, but because I know from where my help & strength come from–& it’s not of myself, that’s for sure.
And that is why it is entirely possible to give God the glory when you just feel stuck in your life.
What Is Your “Stuck”?
Chronic illness? Bad diagnosis? Injury? Grief? Depression? Prison? What is pushing you down? What is your “stuck”?
Use whatever it is as your opportunity to lean into God as your help & your strength & your wisdom & your comfort. As your platform to show the world where you end & He begins… be a beacon of hope.
Let His help be shown through your stuck.
God sees you. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He will not waste a single ounce of “stuck” in your life, because they are prime opportunities to teach you (& others through you) that He can when ‘can’ feels super impossible.
That He can use even someone like you, even someone with your “stuck.”
Praise Him in the Storm
Think of the followers of Jesus (Paul & Silas) in prison. They understood the assignment. Most were imprisoned wrongly, simply for sharing the gospel, rather than breaking any laws. But did they scream their rights? Did they grumble & complain to everyone around them?
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25)
No, they sang praises to their God. They lived as a testimony EVEN in prison.
They understood that God was still with them, even in that cell & that God cared just as much for each prisoner they sat beside & every prison guard who watched over them. That Jesus died for them, too.
God Doesn’t Do Anything Without a Purpose
And what about Paul. Did you know his friends kept warning him? “Don’t go there, are you crazy?! They want to KILL you!!!”
But how did Paul respond?
“Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21:12-13)
He also understood the assignment. He knew that no matter who God put him in front of, even if they had the power to kill him, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was worth dying for & that those people who fight against it so hard are also ones for whom Jesus died. He was willing to die to get the chance for an audience with those in charge to hear the hope of Jesus.
Sometimes I Just Feel SO Stuck in Life!
In my seasons of dark depression, life is really hard. It feels hopeless, like my mind is under constant oppression & attack. Like I cannot get free no matter how hard I try. Like I am fighting every day just to keep my head above water, so to speak.
I feel weak & pathetic. I feel useless. I feel embarrassed. I feel like I make God look bad.
But on the contrary. I cannot tell you how many times God has used even my darkest days to show me & even others that He can where I very obviously could not.
There’s this little phrase in a verse that I love so much… He lifted my head.
“But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” (Psalm 3:3)
I don’t know, something about this picture just really shows His gentleness when all seems lost. Like this picture of being so completely limp & weak with nothing to offer, so lacking that even lifting your head off the floor feels too much of a strain, one you can’t bear… & yet… God. His gentle, loving, sovereignly powerful care… & He lifts your head.
I don’t know if you’ve ever felt that low before, but I have. It’s like only the solid, firm floor feels sturdy enough because I feel so limp & frail that the bed or couch cushions don’t feel secure or sturdy enough to hold me steady. I just lay flat on the floor to feel that sturdiness underneath me & I can feel so limp & weak that I can’t even get myself to lift my head. And then this picture of our great, majestic All-powerful God kneeling down beside me to lift my head for me… I don’t know why, but I just get choked up thinking about it because that really is the type of gentle, loving, sees-me care He shows me in my every weakest point in life.
My Weaknesses for His Glory
My weaknesses are not something I am ashamed of anymore, because they have become the canvas on which God shows Himself all the more wonderful & spectacular than I could ever have imagined Him to be.
Every crack in me only serves as crevices for His love & power & faithfulness & grace to shine through even brighter to the world around me.
I used to pray about my depression to the tune of: “but, if You actually loved me, why, oh WHY, would You let me suffer SO MUCH for NO REASON—ie no cause of loss or betrayal or physical pain or ANYTHING to at least justify to others my suffering, but NO, I have to be in such complete, constant pain in some particular seasons, with absolutely nothing to help people be understanding to me IN IT. Why?!”
I didn’t understand how God could simultaneously love me AND let me suffer so much.
But you know what, there came a day when that answer to those prayers finally came: “Michelle, you look around & see lukewarm Christians everywhere who seem to think just going to church or praying before they eat is all I am to them & it grieves your heart. They have an ignorance of Me that keeps them from drawing nearer. But you haven’t had that “luxury.” No, you HAVE suffered… & because you have suffered so much… you have not had the “luxury” of believing the lie that you don’t need Me… no, you have been forced through that suffering to come to Me over & over & over again, learning that I am where your hope is found… learning to rely on Me. It is indeed the greatest blessing, My child… not a curse.”
Wow was I put in my place that day. The humbling realization washed over me & poured out of me as pure gratefulness. What I had always seen as my greatest curse instantly turned into my greatest blessing & benefit.
All of those years where I have suffered so much pushed me ever into His arms as my help & I have seen Him come through for me over & over & over & over & over & OVER again because of those many seasons!
And because of that… on TOP of that… I can share that same exact hope I have personally seen as FACT, through my own suffering, as a display of hope to absolutely everyone who will hear me.
I can be a beacon, a lighthouse that draws others around me to the One Who gives me hope in the most hopeless of places.
Shining As a Beacon of Hope… RIGHT Where You Are
So, no, we are never truly “stuck.” Not really.
God has a purpose in it. God has a plan. God will not ever waste a single ounce of our struggles or suffering or seasons of “stuck.” He knows what He is doing.
We can trust Him. We can proclaim Him. We can point others to where OUR own hope comes from—Jesus Christ our LORD!
So, sing His praises! Of His greatness & power & majesty! His love & grace & faithfulness! His sovereignty, His deity, His longsuffering favor toward us who are even least deserving! That Jesus died so that we may LIVE! PRAISE Him!
Read the Bible & dwell on its words & truth.
Pray & spend time pouring out your struggles & anxieties to Him, asking for His help & thanking Him for being One Who cares for you no matter what you may feel you do or don’t deserve.
Remember your salvation undeserved… & SHARE IT. Be a BEACON for HOPE.
He Is at Work
Are you feeling stuck in life right now because of your current circumstances? What does your “stuck” look like? How does it make you feel right now? Is God too small to help you or to shine through you in this? (No.)
Can you flip the script on it & instead see it as an opportunity to lean into Him, see Him show up for you in it, & live as a beacon to a hurting world?
Ask Him & watch Him shift your heart & renew your mind.
He is working.
Shine HOPE by leaning on Him & living for Him, even on your absolute worst days… & see the wonderful ways that God shows up & makes Himself known to you & to those you allow to look in on your pain… let them see Him in it.
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***
***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***
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A Note from Michelle:
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Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Pearl Seashell Brooch, Handcrafted in & Empowering Women Out of Poverty in India!
When you purchase the Pearl Seashell Brooch you create safe jobs with fair wages in areas of extreme poverty where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops.
This adorable pin shows off the craftsmanship of our talented artisan partners in India! Each bead is hand-sewn onto the pin to create this seashell image. This is the perfect addition to any blazer, coat, or canvas bag to instantly give you a unique look!
***SHOP Here, OR, Email me at michellehyde.tradesofhope@gmail.com with any questions, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!***
How Can You Help Artisans around the World AND Help Support MichelleHydeOnline.com?
#1 is PRAY. Financial help is great & helps pay my website fees & helps support these women artisans… but God’s help is always needed most… both for encouragement & for spiritual hope, through Jesus, for the women we support through our ethical fashion purchases. Always PRAY first.
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Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!
