Hey guys! Welcome back to Purpose Design Co!
For this post, I am doing something a little different. Usually, I talk about designs or sharing the Gospel, which is a happy topic. However, today I am going to be talking about hardships. It is not easy for me to talk about such heavy topics, but God has been working in my heart this past month.
In my life, I have gone through many hardships, as I'm sure you have. After all, weariness is a life experience. Life is not easy nor was it ever promised to be, especially as a Christian.
I've experienced the loss of a loved one, a close friendship, and a serious relationship. I've gone through seasons of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and doubts. I've grieved with my sister about a miscarriage, convinced one of my childhood friends out of suicide, helped my friend navigate how to forgive the unforgivable, and watched someone very close to me suffer from panic attacks.
People will hurt us, mock us, reject us, and leave us. Fear will shut us down, worry will take over our minds, and doubts will leave us wondering if there really is a God out there.
However, we can battle our grief by soaking into the truths of the Gospel. The three I am going to talk about today are hope, peace, and joy.
1. Hope
I know what you are probably thinking. Like, "How can I have hope when all these terrible things are happening to me or my loved ones?"
Well, as crazy as it sounds, there is hope within the hurt. What is our hope? Our hope is Jesus.
We can rest and hope in Jesus because He is far greater than our earthly circumstances. The rest we find in Jesus is not something we have to earn or work for, it is given to us. This rest is given to us because Jesus came to earth, died for our sins, and rose again on the third day. Jesus is the light of the world, so He can never be overcome by the darkness. We can rest in Jesus because throughout our darkness, He is the ever-constant light that never fades.
Jesus promises us that all who are weary and burdened can find rest in Him.
Matthew 11:28-29 says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls".
Jesus promises us eternal life with Him in Heaven when we accept Him as our savior. We can have hope because this earthly life is temporary, but life in the presence of Jesus is ETERNAL.
2. Peace
The main way I have been able to find peace in Jesus is through prayer. Prayer comforts me because I know that He is always listening to me. He listens to me no matter what. He is always there. When I cry out to Jesus, I feel a sense of closeness because I am pouring out my heart to Him. He cares about my every need.
1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
These past two months I have dealt with a lot of anxiety. If you're like me, you like to bottle all of your emotions inside until you burst into a bubble. It is so easy to drown myself in my worries and doubts. It consumes me. However, I can escape my worry by laying it all down at the foot of the cross. When I bring my requests to Jesus and run to His arms, He gives me peace. The peace that everything is going to be okay because he works out everything for His good and for a purpose (Romans 8:28).
It's not easy to talk to people about my worries because oftentimes they sound so silly when I say them out loud. Yet, Jesus knows your every thought and my every thought, so we can run to Him when we start to feel anxious.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".
Some ways I can feel Jesus' peace, which could also help you are:
Reading His word (especially a Psalm)
Prayer
Listening to worship music
Taking a walk
Writing in a prayer Journal
3. Joy
Biblical joy has a much deeper meaning than just being happy. It doesn't just mean having a positive attitude when times are tough.
Joy is not based on emotions or circumstances, but on Biblical truth. We can have joy through trials because we know that God is doing it for a reason.
James 1:2-3 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance".
I can have joy on the hard days because I know God is by my side every step of the way.
Peter recognized this truth in Acts 2:28, "You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence".
Joy comes when we fill ourselves with God's word. The more we get to know Jesus, the easier it is to trust Him, which is a definite truth that I have felt. Trials keep arising, but they seem to get easier in a way because I have greater joy in the truth that Jesus is my shelter and refuge.
Thank you so much for reading this post! I hope this helps you feel encouraged to seek the Gospel and its truth when you are experiencing grief.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram at @forhisglorydesign!
Have a great week and live a life full of purpose!
Love,
Delaney <3
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