“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).
“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness.
And rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Life has so many twists and turns. It can get to the point where you feel like the storms will never end. The way we look at our lives on a regular basis dictates the way we overcome the challenges you face. This is true because God’s word teaches us that the way we think in our heart determines who we are (Proverbs 23:7).
There are many times in our lives where the storm is over, but we are still grieving the aftermath like the victims of a natural disaster. It is hard to let the tragedies of our lives go. Learning how to overcome is hard for all of us. The answer to letting go is different for everyone. There is no real set answer though so many people believe they have it all figured out. As I write this post, I am still striving to shed the skin from my own past, like so many others.
The storms of this world leave invisible scars on us that we relive every day unconsciously. We relive it without thinking about it. Our dreams capture our past. Many of us have built a life to protect us from what was. We carry the residue everywhere we go. The saddest part about it is that we cannot stay in that state because it is a hindrance to our future.
Though we face hardships God intended for us to overcome them. It can seem impossible and hard. When we lose a job or a home that we worked so hard to establish and maintain it’s crippling. Starting over can make us wonder where is God in this? Bitter roots can start to form, and it can become so overwhelming we give up and start thinking we can’t get another job or place. We then can start to say it is not even worth having again. These are the thoughts of a person fatigued by the storm and hopeless and it’s normal.
I can identify with this so well. I was homeless and loss my job in 2020 and I felt like never getting another place again. In 2021 I found a place. Later in 2022, I lost another job and my thoughts about being employed were shattered and I felt my living situation was a mere miracle because it was low-income. I say all this to say that I understand all too well about storms and losses. I understand the battle of the mind and how it is so easy to begin to think of settling for just enough because it is safe and comfortable.
I am no longer homeless, and I have a small income, but I do not want to stay in this lifestyle. I also, want the readers to understand you are not alone. Your situation may be different from mine, but whatever the storm is or was keep striving for better. The residue of my storm still gives me pause and I cringe at the thought of losing it all again. I still believe that trouble and storms pass, and trouble does not last always.
No one wants to face hardships and the storms or troubles of this world hurt. Even when the hardest part of them is over we still shutter at what has happened to us. It is not even worth blaming someone else or ourselves because all that does is create bitterness. You need to look to the hills and work on a plan to get your life back on track. That is more important than who to blame.
Yesterday is gone. You can do nothing about what was. You can’t change anything from the past. That part of your life cannot be re-written. Everything happens for a reason even if it takes 10, 15, or 20 years to fully see the bigger picture. In the end it will all work out for your good.
I have a lot to be thankful for. I still face obstacles. I look back over my life and there are things I wish never happened like all of us. I see where I made mistakes and where others impacted my life. The fact of the matter is, had I not gone through some of these things there would be no blog post every week. If my life had been perfect, there would be no way I could inspire others. I enjoy that God has given me a place to use my relationship with God and my struggles to bring others hope and it helps me to heal and grow.
No matter what happens and how far you get off path do not give up on those dreams you wrote down because all things are possible with God. Without God we are limited, but with Him we can do great things.
What gets me through?
Therapy, medication, mental health professionals, peer support, and support from friends and family. Also, I still pursue my short- and long-term goals and dreams despite what I lost.
No matter what life throws do not give up on yourself dreams. You can always modify them but, hold on to them. People are graduating college in their 70s and 80s. Your dreams are not defined by age.
I hope this post finds you well and even if it doesn’t, I hope you realize that you are not alone in the losses, challenges, and storms of life. You will get through what you are facing. It takes time. Give God a second chance in your life. Try not to shut Him out. He is the reason you live and breathe today.
Yes, it still hurts after the storm, but God is able to do the impossible if we let Him in.
Resilient Inspired Spiritual Excellence R.I.S.E. 