Ephesians 3:20-21
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Before I move onto another series for this newsletter, I wanted to write a post reflecting on what God has done in me and for me over the past year—and on the beautiful truths He’s been teaching me in this season of life. Most of what I’m going to share isn’t necessarily new for me and probably isn’t new for you either. However, I believe it is so important for us as believers to just take moments to remember the goodness of God in our lives and to share it with others. That’s the goal for what I’m sharing today.
As I’ve reflected on many hard things happening around me, I am blown away by how God continues to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” This season of life has been one where many of the people around me are hurting, struggling, or going through some kind of trial. Many of my family and friends are dealing with physical illnesses, relational issues, financial problems, or work stress, and most are dealing with a cocktail of trials and suffering. It is so hard to watch those I love go through so many hard things. It’s hard because I want to fix whatever “it” is for them. It’s hard because we so often can’t see the good in the middle of suffering. It’s also hard because I want to offer comfort in situations I haven’t been through myself. And it’s hard because, well, I don’t like hard things.
But in all of the hard, God has reminded me again and again that He is always good. Bad things may happen, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for a good purpose. Because we have a good God in control, hard and bad things are not pointless. In this season of doing life with many who are hurting, I have had to grow in truly trusting the One who is completely and perfectly good. The opening verses from Ephesians 3 help my heart choose to trust God—because it is always “His power that is at work within us.” And when I look back at hard situations that have passed, I really do see how God used it for good.
God has lovingly reminded me that it is always worth encouraging a brother or sister in Christ with the truth that comes from His Word. It’s not about me having the right words to say in a hard situation, but about being willing to say the only Right Words that ring true in any situation—Jesus’ words of loving comfort.
Matthew 11:28-30
“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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
It’s also not about me doing the right thing in a specific situation, but about me doing what’s right in all circumstances—crying out to God in prayer. Prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of requests, and prayers of lament. And praying for and with people in the moment.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Even when I feel like I don’t know what to say or do, I’m learning that speaking God’s Words of love and stopping to pray with someone is always the right thing to do. Pointing someone back to the Cross and their Savior and crying out to Him on their behalf is needed in every trial or suffering. I can’t change my family or friend’s circumstances, but I can remind them of the One who is there in the middle, in the dark, in the hard with them. And while that is not always going to be received with joy or thanks from those we’re trying to love, it is always a way we can serve them.
I also titled this “Reflecting on the Hard” not just because I’ve been doing life with those who are struggling, but also because of what God has been teaching me in my own trials. This season of life has been hard in the sense that my family has been going through a lot of change, learning, and growing. My husband got a new job, we both have new and old responsibilities serving at church, and we started fostering (and parenting) for the first time—just to name a few of the things we’ve been handling right now and over the past year. And while I definitely do not believe the weight of these trials compares to a lot of the suffering my loved ones are going through, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t hard.
I have had to learn how to reprioritize my whole world since becoming a foster parent. I’ve also had to adjust to my husband’s new work schedule and both of our ministry responsibilities, which means saying “no” a lot more. I’ve seen my sin come out in new ways and old ways in all of these circumstances. And I’ve also realized the importance of continually seeking out others for fellowship and accountability, not just in the middle of crisis or struggle. In all of these hard things, though, I can look back and praise God for the work He is doing in my life to conform me more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Every struggle, every weakness helps me remember my need for a Savior, and reflecting back shows me how God has already gotten me throw so much more than I could have imagined. When I stop to look, I truly see the ways God is sanctifying me—and I’m so thankful that He is far from done!
While some seasons of life may seem easier, life in this sin-cursed world is never going to be easy. There will always be hard days, hard jobs, and hard people to face. Even in writing this week I wrestled with many hard things, like jetlag, sickness, and fighting my own sin while trying to parent well. I constantly have to ask God to help me desire to be like Him more than anything else. If it wasn’t for the hard things, I know I would struggle more with pride and self-righteousness, rather than seeing my need to put off sin and put on Christ-likeness (Ephesians 4:22-24).
It truly is a blessing to have so many people I get to love and do life with, and it’s a gift to get to walk alongside them in the hard. I’m not a perfect friend, wife, mother, or co-worker, but I pray God will keep giving me opportunities to point others to the good He has done and is doing in my life and theirs. I’ve been praying more and more often, “God, help me want to be like Jesus to those around me more than anything else!” because Jesus is the only thing I can offer that truly gives hope and help. It’s a privilege to be saved in the family of believers, into Christ’s church, and I pray that in all the hard going on in this world, I will keep seeking to live for my Savior.
“…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Thank you as always for listening or reading to Speaking Truth!
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