Whenever life seems unbearable due to tragedy, suffering, unjustifiable pain, or another heartache, Satan wants us to sulk and be depressed. The devil will try to isolate you, keep you in a dark room, blame you for your misfortunes, and victimize you. You may indeed be in a place of suffering and despair due to your prior sin committed. I know I find myself in a spot that would be different if I could change the course of some decisions made just over a decade ago. However, I cannot change the past, instead I only have control in how I respond to the present. We can give up or play the victim. Conversely, we can draw closer to God and find joy. He is where the joy is; not our circumstances.
We have a choice today, tomorrow, this month, this year, and for the rest of our days. Will we dwell on situations we cannot control, people we cannot change, and insanely toil for different results, only to find the same outcomes a year, five years, or a decade from now? No, we must pick ourselves up, find freedom in giving our suffering to God, let Him carryout His will for our lives, and stay in His Word daily. He is our source of victory, our strength, our purpose, our calling. On this day, we declare independence from the bondage that has enslaved us.
Fellow man whom we may rudely discover as unreliable, we cannot prioritize over God’s power. Elevating others in place of God will vanquish our hope and effective means for obtaining resolution. Only God, our Savior, our protector, our Father, who dwells in us as believers, knows where we are and can give us peace. He loves us, so let us not moan in agony. Refrain from yelling, fretting, attempting one more mortal try. No, instead give it to God.
When others may reject us and love seems hard to find, we can be confident that He loves us and is present. Find Him by being in the Word. Intentionally pray to Him. Cry, extol Him, and give thanks. Do the contrary of Satan’s trap. We are different and when we seek, we find that He wants us because He loves us. You are desired by your Maker, the one who knows you, and will never leave nor forsake you. Talk to Him. Be in community and fellowship with Him. He will direct our paths, show us the way, and give us victory. Our pains may be present and may not fleet, but are only temporary to the joy and fruits of eternity. In Him, we can find peace. Do not turn to sin as your elixir for it will only make matters worse. Obey and lean into God. He loves you.
“Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”
– Psalm 55:22