Strength Through Suffering

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen."

Scripture has been flowing through my heart abundantly since the passing of my mom. I want to express how grateful I am for God's presence. Jeremiah 29:12-14 has resurfaced in my heart during this season as a reminder.

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart," and then He declares, I will be found by you."

During hardships, we as believers are urged to keep our eyes on Jesus. The first couple of days, I was being checked up on by many people. My response focused on relaying the truth of this broken world we live in. I was so focused on keeping my faith on display that I ignored the real emotions that come from loss. I feel God urging me to sit with Him as His daughter and feel these emotions. I was reminded by Him that I don't need to act "godlier" in order to shine his light through this season. God had been working on my lifestyle for a while now and has given me healthy habits that honor Him. With his preparation, I understand what it means to have a firm foundation. I will continue to live my life the way God has led me. A day in the life with me looks like a quick morning shift, a long workout session and coming to a home where I can do my daily devotionals, cook and spend the rest of my evening with my Heavenly Father, giving Him thanks. This life the Lord has blessed me with gives me contentment in Christ alone and it still exists through the storms.

Here are some things Gretchen points out that stuck out to me:

"The enemy works hard to make us forget, in the midst of our pain, that we have hope in Jesus - and He has already won the battle."

"We may feel weak now, but by God's grace we will keep standing firm, fighting against the evil in this world. And one day, we will have an eternity of strength that will never fail. Praise God."

John 16:33 reminds us, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

I want to pray the same prayer Gretchen ends with,

Heavenly Father, I pray that you will restore our hearts, confirm our minds, strengthen our souls and establish our feet wherever You want them planted. Remind us that this suffering is temporary, and in the midst of it we can find You there. In the midst of the trials, You strengthen us. In the midst of the pain, You restore us. And in the midst of the uncertainty, you confirm us. In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen.

https://coe22.com/devotional/stand-firm-with-gretchen-martin-w2d5/