Being Present

Have you ever been content, then out of nowhere a problem or difficult situation replayed itself in your mind? You are not alone. One day, during some solitary time with God, a troubling memory flashed inside. It clouded my mind, and heaviness rested in my heart as I relived a particular trial I’d had. The remembrance of praying, blindly moving forward in trust, and the sheer slog of persevering returned. As I struggled through these feelings, a thought entered my heart: Difficulties can give you strength and determination. They can help you empathize with others and be a testimony.

The sadness threatening to ruin my day was replaced with hope that God is working for the good of His people in all situations (Romans 8:28). God can take stressful times, whether caused by school, a loss, a challenging event, or even trauma…and use them to provide us with blessings not only for ourselves, but for others too. God can use this terrible experience to bring about something good, like helping us grow in empathy and understanding. If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can rely on Him to give us courage to walk through the challenges in our lives. And as we walk with Him, He draws us into a closer relationship with Himself.

As we walk with Jesus, our experiences, both positive and negative, can assist others. Bad things happen because sin has invaded God’s good world. And sin has invaded our hearts, so we all rebel against God, hurt each other, and mess up. But the wonderful news is that Jesus came to heal all this brokenness through His death and resurrection. And because of His work in our lives, the trials we face can become landmarks, reminding us that God’s love is steadfast, and He gives us strength beyond our imagination so that we can follow Him even in the midst of difficult situations. This can serve others as they witness how Jesus is working in our lives and find hope. Let’s not allow the scars of our lives to define us, but instead use them to tell others about God’s healing, extending the same comfort that God has given us. • Cindy Lee

• Have you ever felt encouraged by seeing how Jesus worked in someone else’s life?

• Are you going through a challenge right now? How might God be inviting you to receive His comfort today? Who is a trusted adult who could help guide you through this time?

…we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:4b (NIV)

Read Verses:

Ps.19|Matt.11.28