Words for the Weary in a Wrecked World

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I had the idea for this post a while ago, and I had wanted to add to it while things were fresh on my mind, but a lot of things in life happen, and I never did it, but here I am. I have actually really enjoyed taking a few days of my Bible study time to look back over things that stood out to me over the summer and beginning of school! It is so important to look back on what we learn. I also know that life is difficult, uncertain, and sometimes really discouraging, now maybe more than ever. That's why I want to take some of the things that have spoken to me and helped me through certain times and situations that I hope helps some of you, too.

Whatever your day may look like, take it one day at a time, doing what you can with where you are, but remember that as Christians, we can live with an eternal outlook. And what joy that eternal hope can bring to our daily lives!

"Be patient and stand firm, for the Lord's coming is near." James 5:8

"Continue to work out your salvation...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure children of God in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." Philippians 2:12-16

When days seem like more than you can take...

"We pray this that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father." Colossians 1:10-12

"...do it with the strength God provides so that in all things, God may be praised." 1 Peter 4:11

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:10, 12

"The God of all grace who called you into eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10

"[God's wise words] are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body." Proverbs 4:22

"He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my my weaknesses so that's Christ's power may rest on me...when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down by the anxieties of life...be on the watch, pray, and stand." Luke 21:34, 36

"I call on the Lord in my distress, and He answers me." Psalm 120:1

When you need motivation to do the right thing...

God is watching and working, and others see you, too

"Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." John 3:21

"Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked out for us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith...consider Him who endured such opposition so that you do not lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

"Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 1 Timothy 4:16

"Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

"Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

"In your hearts, set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect...so that those who speak maliciously about your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." 1 Peter 3:15-17

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Philippians 1:27

When you just need a break...

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

"It is in vain that you rise up early and go to rest late, eating the bread of anxious toil, for He gives sleep to those He loves." Psalm 127:2

"Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4, and "Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry nor be thirsty." John 6:35

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word." Psalm 119:28

"I lie down and sleep in peace, for you along, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jeremiah 31:25

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will rise up on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

"You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint." Isaiah 57:10

When you feel held captive...

"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:7

"Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17

When things feel out of your control...

"Do not be afraid. Stand firm, and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you...the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:13-14

"All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16

"You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled." Joshua 23:14

"For the glory of Your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of Your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress." Psalm 143:11

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

When you feel like people are against you...

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Am I trying to please mean? If I were trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

"Men will hate you because of Me, but those who stand firm until the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22

"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17

"Fight the good fight of the faith." 1 Timothy 6:12

"Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground against the devil's schemes." {truth, righteousness, readiness from the gospel of peace, shield of faith, salvation, word of God, prayer} Ephesians 6:10-20

When you fear for your future...

"My God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned." Isaiah 43:2

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for the Lord has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5

"[Do not] be arrogant, nor put hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but put their hope in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment...do good, be rich in good deeds, be generous and willing to share...take hold of the life that is truly life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.'" Jeremiah 29:11

"Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food...Who of you by worrying can add a single minute to his life?...your heavenly Father knows you need them...Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:25, 27, 33

"The Lord will keep you from all harm--He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 127:7-8

"He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." Psalm 112:7

When you need peace...

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

"When I said, 'My foot is slipping,' Your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy." Psalm 94:18-19

"I have told you these things that in Me, you should have peace. In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

"The Lord gives His people strength; the Lord blesses them with peace." Psalm 29:11

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, and with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. The peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." {think on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy, excellent} Philippians 4:6-8

When you need wisdom and guidance...

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, adn it will be given to him. When he asks, he should believe and not doubt..." James 1:5-6

"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere." James 3:17

"Your word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path." Psalm  119:105

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

"If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand." Psalm 37:23

On Eagles' Wings

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As for most over the past few months, church has not met in person. At least this has brought us together in new ways and with new appreciation. The saying about that the church is not a place but people has taken on new meaning.

After the messages leading up to and on Easter, Pastor Dean started a new series titled, "Encouraging Words for Difficult Days." While it is initially coming off of the current circumstances the world is in right now, I love to also look at the passages he has used so far in life as a whole! We are only two weeks in, but it has been great! They haven't been in passages that I haven't applied to my life probably hundreds of times, but that's one of the beauties of the Bible. The same thing can hit so differently at different times. 

I know that there are a lot of people struggling and in rough shape, and a lot of people probably have plenty of reasons to feel hopeless, but from someone who has a hope in the Lord that has gotten me through a long list of my own struggles and is facing each day with the same hope, I want to share some of what I am hearing from these messages and how it has encouraged me, so hopefully someone else in need can see how the scriptures can shine light on every day in our personal lives.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

(**these are pictures I took of a real bald eagle in my neighborhood on a walk last month!**)

While this passage was written soooo long ago, the attitude of the first two sentences are easily comparable to today's language. How often do we talk to people like, "Hello? How do you not know [fill-in-the blank with something we think is obvious?]"? 

As Christians also living in the world like every human, it can be easy to get caught up in our circumstances and wonder why things are the way they are. We are human, and we don't understand a lot of things. But as Christians, we know the obvious facts of faith, like that God is in control of this earth He created, but we need to be reminded. Not that we forget, but that we lose sight.

The simple answer to "why" undesirable things happen is because of sin. We deserve bad things, honestly, but in considering what we do get compared to what we deserve to get, we are doing good.

Sometimes we can see reasons why, but other times we are left wondering. In the times our earthly minds can't wrap around something happening, remember Isaiah 55:8-9 where God reminds us, "For your thoughts are not My thoughts, neither are your ways My ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts."

Peace comes with surrendering to that. It may not make sense on the surface, but when things are out of our control, BUT we know that they are in God's control, we don't have to worry. That's a big weight taken off of your shoulders from when you are trying to support and control your own entire life. So when you screw up, it's all your fault. But God never screws up. 

There are three characteristics of God from verses 28-30 that can give us peace:

1. God is all-powerful. -- the Creator of the ends of the earth who never grows tired or weary

2. He is all-knowing. -- His understanding that no one can fathom.

3. He is all-sufficient. -- He gives power to the weak and renews the strength of the weak.

Where we lack, He is more than enough.

Not only must we know the promises of God, we must believe them! 

There were some awesome things about the word "wait" that I learned in this message. Waiting isn't fun, and our world has made it totally undesirable from all of the technological advances and simply the negative connotation we have put on waiting. We hate waiting in line, to be seated at a restaurant, someone to respond to a text, the end of the school year, etc...

The Hebrew word for wait is "qahvah," and it has three meanings: patience, service, and confidence.

This is something that I have learned to appreciate through years of off and on struggles that have led to the greatest growth in my faith. Y'all may think I'm crazy for some of this, but that's fine. I want to share the joy that I have even in the hard times so that hopefully someone else will be able to see joy in their circumstances, too, or at least have the courage to try to change their perspective. 

1. Patience-I've never been good at it, but I know God like to work on our weaknesses. Time is going so fast! I don't want to rush anything away anymore. Even when there is something good coming up, or I am just in a seemingly dull week, rainy week, etc., I don't wish that time away. I love summer, but school is great, too. I love running big miles and workouts, but I've found joy in the easy days and giving myself a break. I want healing, but I've learned to use the pain to grow and improve in different areas. Some days feel slow, but I think of the days that I feel too overwhelmed with tasks yet to do. In patience is where I really see Him at work.

 "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1

2. Service-Continues from patience! Not only do we tend to think of waiting negatively, we also do not consider it an active time. Waiting is when we just sit. We don't do anything while we wait because, well, we are waiting on something else. But in the time we wait, there is so much we can do! Keep faith in the waiting! Keep living and loving. Be useful rather than idle. Lately, while some may say they're waiting on things to go back to normal, I am, too, but I am also enjoying working and serving in many different ways that I wouldn't "normally" be--shopping with and for Mom, for my grandparents, volunteering with my church, making and sending mail, simply praying for and talking to people, and working for DoorDash and Instacart. Who knows what else I may get into?! I like to look at this time as one that is a unique opportunity and look for what I can do to make the most of it.

"Wait for the Lord, and keep His way. He will exalt you to inherit the land." Psalm 37:34

3. Confidence-Listed third, I think that's accurate to how we develop these three things. Yeah, I'm only 22, but after all I've been through and all I've learned, gained patience, persevered in the waiting, I have confidence that God will always come through. He already has everything worked out, and it will come to fruition in His timing. I can get through every challenge, sad day, tired body or soul because I am confident in His plan, provision, and goodness. He has never left me nor forsaken me (Hebrews 13:5). This is where my joy comes from. Not that I have joy because things are always good, but I have joy even when things are bad because I have the hope that things are working together for my good (Romans 8:28). I literally have Word Docs full of things to remind me of how He has shown up repeatedly in daily life, so we will have more examples in various posts.

"Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded." Hebrews 10:35

"For You have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him." Jeremiah 17:7

 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14

Another Hebrew thing that really stood out to me about "wait" and "quahvah" is that the root word means "to twist or bind together like cords." Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, "A cord of three strands is not easily broken." So waiting, with its three parts listed above, and its root like a cord, is not easily broken!

The promise that follows in verse 31 is that we will renew our strength and mount up on wings like eagles. The word renew means to exchange--we will exchange our weaknesses for strength, our tiredness for energy, our despair for hope! This exchange is key in life with Christ. We can't just keep adding things or just take something out. For there to be a lasting effect, there has to be an exchange. Replace a bad habit with a new routine, a sin with a good action, etc. John 3:30 says, "He must become greater, I must become less." 

We can also learn a lot from the life of an eagle. Pastor Dean added to this from something he once heard in another message (see how we all learn from each other? Sometimes we just need someone else to be like verse 28 and say, "Do you not see this?").

1. The eagle learns to fly through great struggle. -- The momma makes him work to get his food and learn to fly. Moving around the nest strengthens his muscles. Struggling to stay in the air when he falls out of the nest works his flying muscles so much so that one day he can do it on his own. Though he may fall, the mother catches him when he is too weak to do it on his own, but she still lets him learn as he falls. -- The same goes with God. He gives us grace when we fall, but we still have to do our part in working. Sometimes we have to fall in order to go higher. I can assure you I never would have made the great changes in my life if I hadn't messed up first.

2. Eagles have powerful vision. -- They can focus in on one single thing, one goal to prey on, from very far away. A challenge for anyone, me included, is to find this focus on the goals God has set out for me and keep that focus until I reach the goal.

3. The eagle loves the storm. -- Riding the wind current helps the eagle fly higher. I saw a post on Instagram the day before with a quote that really stuck with me, "You can't stop a storm, but you can ride the waves." That reminds me also of the saying about how we can't control the cards we are dealt, but we can control how we play them. Perspective is heee-uge.

4. The eagle's chief enemy is the snake. -- Satan is a snake if ya didn't know...but eagles grab up the snakes with their talons and take them way high to drop them on the rocks where the impact kills them. Christ is our Rock, where we can take our sins and struggles for Him to defeat (1 Corinthians 10:4, Psalm 62).

5. Eagles lay their eggs in winter. -- Not a desirable time to lay eggs, but they do so in confidence that spring is coming. We, too, must lay eggs, plant seeds, do work in the colder, tougher times, having faith that better days are coming, Christ will come through! If we don't do anything now, there is no reason to think things will ever get better later. If you don't plant seeds before the weather gets warmer, you can't expect anything to grow to harvest. 

6. Eagles die facing the sun. -- When an eagles knows his time is coming, he flies up to a high place to face the sun and die in peace. When we have lived our lives having accepted Jesus, we can have peace knowing that when we leave this earth, we will face the sun...The Son.

Finally, I found it very encouraging to hear one more historical word meaning from this final verse. "Run" and "walk" are military terms, where "run" refers to the battle, a fight, the attack and the enemy, while "walk" refers to the routine, day-to-day march. This assures us that God cares about all aspects of our life, big or small, challenging or monotonous, with others or alone, something complex or simple, He is there and cares through it all.

Take this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson and let it simmer on your stove for a bit: "The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear. It is the storm within that endangers him, not the storm without."

"God's Not Done" --Songs and Scriptures Series

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There were a lot of times that I felt like I was just in the middle of a big mess, usually one of my own making. I've become a pretty pessimistic person. Things just kept going wrong in seemingly every way. I don't want to try a lot of times because I feel like it is pointless.
Why plan if nothing will work out? Why invest in something that will be over soon? What if I run more and get hurt again? Why try to change something if it may not make a difference?
I struggle with that in this difficult world. It seems so far gone, only worse with how fast time passes and how much life I've already lived, but I have to remember that there is still so much life ahead of me. It's an even better reason why I can start acting in faith more now. There are a lot of things that I don't notice until I'm lost and hurting. I appreciate everything so much more then. I see how life could be when I'm not taking advantage of it. I see God's work in ways I have overlooked before. I get stronger in my weaknesses. It forces me to make changes, trust more, challenge myself, my doubts, and my fears. Uncertainty makes me trust in God more fully, pain makes me persevere, weakness humbles me and makes me work harder to overcome them and get better. Through recent injury, I now have a lot more balance in my legs, awareness of issues and how to work on them, know where I'm weak and need to take better care of myself. I've been through such lows that God has brought me out of, it gives me hope. I can find joy in sorrows. I know that all these small things are part of my whole life's plan. When I don't know, He does. There is more to life than now. I will always have things to work toward. College is an amazing time, but it is only one section of time. I can't be obsessed with it or depressed with its end, but rejoice in knowing that there is also a huge future. Though I fear the unknown of where I may be in a couple years, I have hope in His plan.

God's Not Done

by Tauren Wells

Standing in your ruins, feels a lot like the end

So used to losing, you're afraid to try again

Right now all you see are ashes

Where there was a flame
The truth is that you're not forgotten

Cause grace knows your name

...There's a light you didn't notice til you're standing in the dark
And there's a strength that's growing

Inside your shattered heart

...He's got a plan, this is part of it
He's gonna finish what He started

God's not done writing your story

...God's not done with you

Even with your broken heart and your wounds and your scars

Even when you're lost and it's hard and you're falling apart

It's not over; it's only begun

So don't hide, don't run

Cause God's not done with you

What God's Word Says:

I put this verse here first, because it falls into almost every category below!
"being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you have have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light." Colossians 1:11-12

God's Plan and Your Future

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'" Jeremiah 29:11

"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

"To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue...Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end...In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:1, 3-4, 9

"I know that you can do all thins; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." Job 42:2

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

"Since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." Hebrews 11:40

"'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8

"In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we..might be for the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:11-12

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do what I please.'" Isaiah 46:10

"Instead you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" James 4:15

"so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on God's power." 1 Corinthians 2:5

"They did what Your power and will had decided beforehand should happen." Acts 4:28

"He has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace." 2 Timothy 1:9

"But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations." Psalm 33:11

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this." Psalm 37:5

"for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable." Romans 11:29

Perseverance and Finishing

"Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

"You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be made mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:3-4

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

"Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

"We glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:3-4

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

"As for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good." 2 Thessalonians 3:13

"We want each of you to show diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized." Hebrews 6:11

"Stand firm, and you will win life." Luke 21:19

"You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:22

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer...Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown." Revelation 2:10

"May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance." 2 Thessalonians 3:5

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us with with perseverance the race marked out for us, keeping our eyes on Jesus." Hebrews 12:1-2

Restored Joy

"I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11

"Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16:24

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:10, 12

Broken Hearts

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death nor mourning nor crying nor pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me." John 14:1

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3

"My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, You, O God, will not despise." Psalm 51:17

Patience

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people...carry out their wicked schemes." Psalm 37:7

"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25

"The revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." Habakkuk 2:3

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and take heart, and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9


Strength and Weakness

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

"He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Isaiah 40:29

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word." Psalm 119:28

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him." Psalm 28:7

"The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation." Psalm 118:14

"The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights." Habakkuk 3:19

Light and Darkness

"The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." Matthew 4:16 and Isaiah 9:2

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5

"You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." Psalm 18:28

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord." Ephesians 5:8

"...God's special possession that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

"for God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6

"But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7

"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:5

"Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:14

God Will Never Leave Us

"into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you." 1 Peter 1:4

"Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22

"The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

"Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord my God is with you. H will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the Lord is finished." 1 Chronicles 28:20

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Genesis 28:15

"For the Lord will not reject His people; He will never forsake His inheritance." Psalm 94:14

Live for the Lord

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." Acts 20:24

"If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." Romans 14:8

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

These Verses Got Me Through The Toughest Times of Life

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Mid-life crisis should not be confined to mid-life, as we all seem to have some kind of crisis at various points in our lives. Whether it seems big or small is no matter, comparison is a killer. If it bothers you, it bothers you, and no one else can impact how something affects you. Hiding your problems for fear of judgment or being viewed as self-centered, weak, or arrogant because your problems aren't "that bad" can lead you to getting in a deeper hole than the one you started with. Trust me; I know. This world can be full of so many burdens, it may seem at times that we are stuck in that hole with no way out in sight, but it is there where faith and strength grow the most. Through the most recent trial in my life, there were some verses that I went back to every day pushing me through and keeping me from losing hope, so I wanted to share them for anyone else who may be in a wreck on the interstate of life (because it goes by so fast, and who uses speed limits anyways?--jk I am a good driver) or to anyone to keep them for a rainy day (as we have a lot of those lately, literally and figuratively..).

Looking back I can confidently say that I see where God was at work and came through every time.

Hebrews is full of faith-strengthening verses for when my soul is struggling.
"We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure...through faith and patience inherit what is promised." Hebrews 6:11

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

"So do not throw away your confidence, for it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised." Hebrews 10:35-36

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

Psalms are some of the most encouraging passages in the Bible, coming from both triumph and trouble, as well as finding joy in the valleys. Sometimes when I don't know what else to do, I just open up to a random Psalm and start there.

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and take heart, and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14

"For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

"Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice...restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." Psalm 51:8, 12

"In my anguish, I called to the Lord, and He answered by setting me free." Psalm 118:5

Psalm 25 is a prayer from David, but I used it as a prayer from myself. When at a loss of words ourselves, who better to connect with God than David? 

"To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in You will ever be put to shame...Show me Your ways and teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all the day long. Remember, O Lord, Your great mercy and love, remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways...Good and upright is the Lord, therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful. For the sake of Your name, forgive my iniquity, though it is great...Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. Look upon my affliction and my distress...Guard my life and rescue me...my hope is in You." (verses 1-11, 16-21)

Another prayer from David is in Psalm 31.

"In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. Turn Your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me...Free me from the trap that is set before me, for you are my refuge. Into Your hands I commit my spirit...I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for you saw the anguish of my soul...Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak...But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God. My times are in Your hands'...Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing love...How great is Your goodness...Praise be to the Lord for He showed His wonderful love to me...Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (verses 1-2, 4-5, 7, 9-10, 14-16, 19, 21, 24)

"But if it's true that You use broken things, then here I am, Lord, I'm all Yours." -Broken Things by Matthew West

There is no shame in human weakness. God wouldn't use us if we were perfect. He uses hard times to make us stronger and bring us out to have a story to tell to help others.