Have you ever had a moment or season in your life where you took such a heavy blow that the pain made you feel like you were just existing? You were tired and lacked the strength to be passionate about the things that were once important to you. You’re just here. I have and I think it’s pretty normal to hit this place in life sometimes.
The first thing we should do when we hit this place is to release ourselves from the shame and guilt for feeling this way. Sometimes, we place false burdens on ourselves as if we have to always feel like we’ve got it all together. However, it’s okay to realize we don’t, we’re weak, and desperately need to depend on God trusting him daily through especially tough places such as this. Below are a few things that we can do to help us get through the tough place of being simply tired and feeling as though we just exist.
Talk to other Believers
Recently, I’d been praying a secret prayer to the Lord asking him to add something to my life that would make me appreciate where I am. Sometimes, we can hit such heavy pain that we do not appreciate the gems that we receive in going through the pain that God allows. We simply want it to stop. Heaven at that point seems like the best idea. We ask God why am I here? I’d rather be in heaven or not to have been born as Job prayed when he went through a hard time. But then, we talk to other believers who are going through the same things. We begin to hear their testimonies and it enlivens our spirit. We begin to wake up and realize there is more to life than our suffering and pain. This adds a little more strength to keep moving forward through the hard place of simply existing.Over-saturate Yourself in the Word of God
This is super easy for us to do nowadays. We can turn on YouTube and find teaching for free on any subject. We can listen to the Bible on our phones, watch on television or pick up a handy devotional. When we’re in the place of just existing through our in; its hard to study the Word or find the strength to muster knowing what to read in the Bible. In those moments, technology comes in handy.
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:8-9
Don’t Stop Seeking the Lord
Of course, the question is always lingering, “Lord do you see? Or what will the Lord make of all of this pain in my life?” There is that wonder of locating the Lord to hear what he will say or do. God always shows up in the hard places in life. However, its easy to place God on the back burner through the despondency of dealing with the present hurt at hand. We wonder if we can go on. We wonder if we’ll ever be as strong in our faith as we once were. God sees and begins to give us more grace and more strength. This adds strength to our faith and answers our hidden questions of whether its all been worth it to walk with the Lord and still go through such pain. We remember that this is simply a part of life that God has already given us the victory over. His strength is what pulls us through each trial and test and we grow in faith and in our seek for God. Allow your trust in the Lord to continue to grow through the circumstance knowing that God knows exactly where you are and his grace is enough for you.
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold Job 23:10
Wait on God
God knows how challenging it is to face a feeling of hopelessly existing through hard circumstance and pain. That is why he promises over and over again to show up for the humble, broken, and weak. It creates an expectation within us to be reverent of God being here with us and in our circumstance with us. God shows up providing affirmation, stability, security, and peace. We can expect these things from God’s presence. God shows up with strength for those who wait on him.
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! – Psalms 27:14
Count Your Blessings
When we are in a cold hard reality, it’s hard to count our blessings. If its too hard to thank God for one area in your life; begin to thank him for another area of your life. Eventually, the hard place will become easier when we’ve begun counting our blessings. It helps us to find contentment, joy, and resolve as we walk out our journey with the Lord.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kind. James 1:2-4
Keep Moving
Pain, hardship, and depression can all be immobilizing. They make us feel like giving up. That’s okay to feel like giving up, but we have to keep moving forward to see what the end is going to be. The hardship, pain, depression, or grief is not the end. It’s simply a hard place on our journey, but our journeys always get better if we stick it out to see how things will shift. I’ve been in a hard place lately, but God himself shines his light on my situation at times just to let me know He’s still there with me, and better is coming. Embracing our weakness, and our need for God is what gives us the strength to keep moving forward because God sends his grace at that point.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. – Psalms 30:5
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