Why I Need to Trust God When I Suffer
Inside: I wouldn’t have known the feelings if I hadn’t experienced the suffering in the past. This is why I need to trust God when I suffer.
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Today I am sharing at Busy Being Blessed and their series, “Lights of Hope in Times of Darkness Series. ” We all go through times where it’s just too hard. The posts in this series will encourage and give you hope whether you’re in a hard time now, or one is on the horizon.
As a small child, I was terrified of storms because I thought each one carried a tornado in it. When the storm warnings would come on the T.V., the atmosphere around me was one of fear and anxiousness, so by default, I picked up that energy. I would suffer from intense fear because no one reassured me it would be ok.
What I’ve realized is that each storm prepared me for the next one. Through the experience, I was no longer fearful and anxious. It’s not to say, I didn’t have a healthy fear of storms, but I was confident Who holds me. God reassured me it will all turn out.
I was hit with pretty intense postpartum anxiety and depression after baby number five. The events surrounding the birth were hard and then life resumed back to normal for everyone else.
I could have used a few more weeks to process, heal and re-enter as a mom to five kids. To read more of my story, check it out here.
I felt numb, but with a new healthy baby, I should have been ecstatic. The darkness descended upon me and sucked the life right out of me. Insomnia and extreme anxiety became unwelcome additions to the cocktail of suffering.
I didn’t think I’d make it and I couldn’t understand why God wasn’t helping me. I’d pray the same prayer over and over again God please help me, take this away and fill me with joy. God, however, didn’t come through the way I expected Him to. He seemed quiet and distant.
How to Trust God When You’re Suffering
How could God allow one of His own children to suffer like this? Doubt curled its fingers around my thoughts and I started to reevaluate God’s role in my life.
Somehow in my Christian walk, I had bought into the thought that once I was following God, my life would be abundant and easy.
During this time, I had prioritized Him into each day and I felt I was spending sufficient time with Him. And then this happened…. I couldn’t begin to understand it.
Here’s the thing, God promises that life will be hard. He actually says to expect it, here are some tips for the unbearable times.
When I look in the Bible, especially Paul’s struggles, I can’t grasp the idea of rejoicing in struggles. I hated every minute of it when I was in the throes of PPD. No way, no how would I be able to thank God for those moments.
Or could I?
To read the rest follow me to Busy Being Blessed
You’ll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent TimesUnshakeable Peace
Goliath Must Fall: Winning the Battle Against Your Giants
Trusting God Day by Day: 365 Daily Devotions
Trusting God: Why His Plan Is Better Than Ours
Silent Seasons: Trusting God When You Don’t Understand
Julie, This is such good timing as I have had this same conversation this week. Why does God allow us to suffer? I loved the points you made about how God develops us through suffering. (I clicked to read more!). This was a great article! Thank you!
Leslie- thank you! I’m guilty of asking “why” a lot to Him:)
Julie, thanks for the encouragement! I, too, rejoice that pain and suffering is part of a process to make us better. We are clay and God is the Potter. We are part of a life-long process of sanctification, transformation, and beautification. I’m so grateful that God is along for the journey and He always sends special folks to us, to help us get through the storms. Blessings to you and yours! Hugs!
Jeanine- yes work-in-progress 🙂 I am also grateful we aren’t doing this journeying alone! Blessings to you too!
Heartache and hardship has been a recurring theme in my mind most recently Julie. Clicking over to read. Thank you!
Lillian- thank you friend!
Love your honesty and vulnerability here. Thanks for your words!
Susan- thank you for the encouragement! Have a great weekend!
I hopped on over and read the rest of your story :). Thank you for sharing your wisdom–it’s difficult to think of dark places having a posiitve side, but you point out that they do–they help build character and give us wisdom to help others :).
Anita- believe me, during these times I have a hard time focusing on good;)
I have to believe what the Bible says about God using it for my good and trusting in that promise.
Julie, I’ve been through dark times and I can identify with you not only in the darkness, but in the learning to trust God through it. He doesn’t always come through in the way we think he might, but he is always there beside us and doing what is best for us.
Great reminders here and as I clicked on over to read the rest. Blessings to you! I’m your neighbor at #TuneInThursday.
Gayl- yes, our ways aren’t his ways. Trusting no matter what is the key, and it’s so difficult to do when you’re struggling. Glad you stopped!
Hi, Julie! I left my real comment over at Busy Being Blessed. Have a great day!
Thank you, Ruth!
Bless your heart, Julie. I am so sorry you went through this dark time. So thankful God brought you through and sustained you. God bless you and your family.
Cheryl- thank you for the encouragement and for stopping by 🙂
This post was so, so good, Julie! I’ve also struggled with anxiety since childhood. It was so good to be reminded that God promises us that life will be difficult here on Earth, but that He can enable us to give thanks in all circumstances. I so appreciate your post!
Julie- thank you for the encouragement:) I appreciate it and I’m so glad you stopped by.
Perseverance and changing our perspective on fears can have a huge change in how we see our trials. Thank you for this post(I clicked for more :)]. I remember going through a rough time after giving birth to my children prematurely. God sustained that is all I can say as I continued to persevere in prayers.
God bless you fellow mama ,
Diana – http://dianasdiaries.com
Diana- I’m hoping your babies were ok being born early? I’m glad you commented 🙂
Oh, Julie, I’ve been in this exact spot! “Unmet” expectations left me vulnerable to the enemy’s lies, rejecting my Father’s truth that His perfect love cast out all fear. As I sat curled up in a corner, trembling in fear, He sat beside me reassuring me of His great faithfulness. When you go through turbulent waters, His resurrection power shines into those “tombs” brighter than any other time. Thanks for this post!!
Esther- I’m so glad He has reassured you! Thanks for the encouragement!
Julie – such a great post about the truth of trusting God in all seasons. For some trust isn’t easy in any season, but especially in the season of suffer. Solomon had it right to everything there is a season under the sun – its just not always the season we want it to be. Blessings and thanks for lining up with #TuneInThursday
Debbie- thank you for reminding me about trust! I agree we always wish we were in a different season. Glad you stopped:)