It can be hard to stay on the long road back from pain, trauma, or addiction.  There are many, many times when we are tempted to give up, or give in.

 Are you tired today?

Tired of trying?

Tired of hoping?

Tired of striving to change bad habits?

Tired of life’s daily challenges that seem to never end?

Our faith seems like a frayed rope during these times of testing and can feel very fragile.  Often people let us down, and sometimes God seems silent.  Yet again and again we should choose to believe that God is who He says He is, even when we don’t understand why we are going through our challenges.  We might need to make that choice each and every day when we are struggling, especially when things don’t make sense. 

Remember that obeying God is never wasted time or effort.  When we can’t see immediate results, when hard times keep coming and things are painful, let me encourage you that you are not alone and that our obedience will one day be rewarded. 

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Ephesians 6:7-8

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

Maybe peace is not the absence of struggle…  maybe peace is choosing to go through life knowing that His presence is going through every difficulty right beside us.  Can peace exist when things are falling apart?  Can we choose to believe in His goodness when it doesn’t make sense to do so?  Is He truly El Elyon – (God) Most High – to me and am I allowing Him absolute Lordship in my life?

I recently heard that it is okay to worship with a wounded heart.  This is a good thing because it’s pretty hard to get through life without being hurt at some point.  If you are in recovery, it’s likely that it was pain that sent you running down a wrong path in the first place. 

In the midst of pain and confusion, am I focusing on the problem or on the One who can solve it?  There are times when we are called to live with the very thing we are praying to be relieved of.  In these times we must be intentional about our relationship with our Creator. 

My soul is downcast within me;
    therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
    the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:6-8

The word abide (from the Greek word meno) means to remain, to endure, to continue.

•  Choose to abide in Him 

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:9-10

•   Choose to let go of confusion and trust Him

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. Ro 8:28

 “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.” Psalm 35:27b

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

 Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:1-5

For we live by faith, not by sight.  2 Corinthians 5:7

•   Choose to believe in God’s steadfast love for me

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. Psalm 25:10

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God 1 John 3:1

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
    for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
    and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light shines on the righteous
    and joy on the upright in heart.
 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
    and praise his holy name. Psalm 97:10-12

Next Steps

Remind yourself that it’s okay to be tired or confused.

Examine how you might be trying to escape pain, then talk or write about what you feel and come up with ways to replace bad habits with good ones. 

Don’t worry about what you can’t control, focus on what God has done, and what he can do in our lives.

Be open to change and intentionally seek something to look forward to that is healthy for you and others.

Choose to look forward, not constantly dwelling in yesterday’s hurts.