As we all sat down to brainstorm our New Year’s goals and began looking forward to 2020, I don’t think anyone could have guessed what life was going to look like in just a few short months. None of us could have predicted how much we would need to know about trusting God in difficult times.
My husband and I were looking forward to 2020 more than any other year. The previous year had been filled with some of the hardest seasons we had ever walked through not only individually but also in our marriage. We faced chronic illness, depression, anxiety attacks, disappointment, and isolation. It felt like one trial after another, and we both started to feel like there was no hope and no joy left in our hearts. Have you ever felt like that?
With the help of friends, counseling, and the goodness of God, we began to receive healing. Because even though we weren’t able to change our circumstances, we were able to change our perspective. We started choosing to speak God’s truth over our situations. Instead of focusing on all that was going wrong, we fought hard to focus on what was going right. We reminded ourselves that these trials are only temporary, and our faith is growing stronger even in the middle of them.
Enter 2020.
The first wave of the pandemic hit our nation. Like all of us, Zach and I quickly had to pivot, canceling plans, social distancing from our loved ones, and adjusting to what a new normal looked like. My workload quickly piled up, leading to a lot of emotional and mental pressure. We soon found out that we were pregnant, and the week after that, Zach was let go from his job as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19.
@craiggroeschel
A year ago, my first reaction would have been to panic or to become anxious and overwhelmed. But instead, I’m learning about trusting God in difficult times. My pastor, Craig Groeschel, says it this way: “Because God has been faithful in our past, we can trust Him with our future.”
However, it doesn’t mean that trusting God is always easy. What I’ve learned is that we can actually feel emotions like sadness or disappointment and rejoice simultaneously. When it feels like there’s nothing to rejoice about, try to remember that God is in your pain with you, and He cares. He hasn’t abandoned you. He is a never-changing, loving, and compassionate Father. You can run to Him and lay your burdens at His feet. Trusting God in difficult times isn’t always easy, but with intentionality, prayer, and perseverance, it is possible.
