We live in a fallen world and with that comes hardship. Whether it’s a personal health crisis, or a community-felt crisis like this pandemic and social injustices, suffering will happen. In our social media saturated world, it can be easy to give in to fear and anxiety as our feeds are flooded with information and opinions. When these hardships come, how do you react?
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:6-10)
God calls us to cast our fears onto Him. He doesn’t promise a life without hardship, but He does promise that He will restore us and make us stronger. He doesn’t promise there will be an instant resolution but that He will “lift you up in due time.” In a recent conversation with a friend, we discussed that if we lived lives without hardship, we wouldn’t be able to relate to those going through difficulties. Suffering provides us the opportunity to be a testimony and a light to those around us. Suffering, in a way, forces us to turn to God for our strength and comfort.
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)
He will provide the strength to prevail through your time of need. Daily arm yourself with His promise of restoration and guarantee to always walk beside us. Look upwards to turn your anxiety into trust. Ask God to redeem your suffering into a testimony.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
This same God is the one who is writing your story. This is the same God who does not leave you, whose throne is open to us at any time, for any need. This is the same God who uses the suffering in your life for a purpose, who redeems and reclaims what is meant for evil and turns it into something good. This is the God who is redeeming your suffering and mine into a testimonial.