Today, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, completely overwhelmed. Life has just been lifing lately and not just for me, but for so many people around me. The weight of life, the exhaustion of lingering trials, and the sheer unpredictability of it all finally caught up to me. Everyone was in the thick of it.
I went to God in prayer and just started pouring my heart out. But as I was doing that, I felt Him say shift your focus and look at Me.
Honestly that can be a real struggle. When you are in the thick of it, you see all the different things going wrong, and you don’t realize what God is doing behind the scenes. But, when I started to change my focus, my prayer completely shifted, I wasn’t just complaining about the issues anymore. Instead, God’s word kept coming back to me reminding me of His promises.
It was in that raw moment that I realized that I was recording the exact blueprint of what it looks like to feel completely unseen, while simultaneously anchoring myself back to the Truth.
If you are staring at a mountain of bills, dealing with sickness, or navigating a painful situation that just won’t seem to end, I want to share the truths that came out of that prayer with you.
When life gets overwhelming, our emotions tell us that we are isolated and forgotten. But there is a life-changing distinction we have to make when we are in the depths of a trial: Our feelings are entirely valid, yes, but they are not facts.
If you are struggling today, here is how you can anchor your soul in the truth of God’s Word when your circumstances are telling you to give up.
1. Remember That God is Existing in Your Depths
In Psalm 139:8, the writer says:
“If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”
This scripture is a powerful reminder of God’s omnipresence. The “depths” can look like mental exhaustion, financial strain, health issues, or deep grief. Your circumstances cannot lock God out. He doesn’t wait for you to get your life together or climb your way out of the valley before He meets you. He is right there in the dark with you.
2. Look at the Birds and the Lilies
When you are experiencing lack, in whatever form, it is easy to panic about the future. But in the Matthew 6:26, Jesus gives us a beautiful visual to ground our anxiety:
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)
If God takes care of the birds and beautifully dresses the grass of the field, how much more will He take care of you, His child?
Seriously, stop and think about that. Do you really believe this? Because if you look closely, isn’t God taking care of you right now?
Living by faith means distinguishing between your “daily wants” and your “daily bread.” You might not have everything you want right now, and the lack you are facing is a real, undeniable fact. But look back at your track record: you have survived 100% of your hardest days because God has consistently provided exactly what you needed to get through the moment. He has promised that His children will not be forsaken, and He is keeping that promise to you right now.
3. Look Up
When a trial lasts for years, it is exhausting. To be completely honest, I have been navigating one for many, many years. It is frustrating. It is deeply exhausting and there are days when I honestly feel completely forgotten by God and I don’t understand why this is happening. I really…….really don’t.
It is okay to look at your life and admit “This is a lot, and this feels unfair.” God never asks us to fake perfection or pretend it doesn’t hurt. Our feelings in these long valleys are completely valid.
But right in the middle of my frustration, I was reminded to intentionally tell myself. “Nicole, Look up.”
Even when I don’t understand the “why” and I feel forgotten, I look closely and I can still see His hand and His favor in my life. God’s provision rarely comes in the package we expect, from the people we expect, or on the timeline we wrote down. When we let go of how we think God should fix our lives, our eyes are opened to see how He is already sustaining us. Look closely for His hand-prints today. It might be an unexpected phone call, a moment of unexplainable peace, or simply the strength to take your next breath.
Even when trials last for years, His footprints are always there carrying you because He promised He will never leave you.
A Daily Declaration for the Weary Soul
If you are struggling to find the words to pray today, this is my Re-Couragement to you. Speak this truth over your life:
My feelings are valid, but they are not the facts. Today, I choose to anchor myself in God’s Word. I am deeply valuable to my Heavenly Father, and He knows exactly what I need. This trial is heavy and it has lasted a long time, but I refuse to let the storm blind me to His presence. I release my timeline and my expectations. Even when I cannot feel it, He is carrying me. God is moving on your behalf and He is right here.
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