Reflection
Hello hi, welcome back! Guys can we talk about how it’s December ALREADY?! The way this year has flown by is insane, as in this time next month it’ll be 2025 - *screams* I’m so excited.
Anyway if I’m being totally honest I really didn’t know what to talk about this week. I’ve written down a long list of all the topics I plan to talk about, but when I would sit and try to prepare something none of the topics were really hitting. So then I got to thinking about how we’re at that time of year again when most people reflect and give testimonies on the type of year that they’ve had, and no doubt there will be a mix of reports on how the year has been - both positive and negative. And then that got me thinking about the different seasons of life because the reality, is that not every season is going to be fun. Hard times do come - they’re inevitable.
Something my mom said to me during the year was that “sometimes hard situations are out of our control, but what is in our control is how we respond.”. And that really stuck with me because, i’m not sure about you, but I know that I have always tried to avoid hard seasons, and situations that seem scary (which I guess is human nature, and isn’t entirely a bad thing). But I’ve learnt that sometimes it’s through that hard season that God moulds and refines us and teaches us things we would have never learnt without it.
So here’s some things to consider when those hard times come…
Be still and know that He is God.
When all seems to be falling apart as humans I think sometimes we can find it really hard to trust God. I know for me I find it way too easy to begin to worry and to try and figure everything out in my own strength. And sometimes in the past I’ve found that even after I’ve prayed about it, tears and all lol, I still haven’t actually surrendered because I still have then given in to the temptation to go back and worry.
But the Bible tells us in Psalm 46:10 - “Be still, and KNOW that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”. That means take your hands off the wheel, be still and ACKNOWLEDGE that He is God. When we realise just how great our God is, we soon realise how minute our problems are in comparison to Him, and that there really is nothing that He cannot do.
In the past year there was a period of time where I was really struggling to trust that God would come through for me and I heard this song, “Be Magnified” (linked below). Bare in mind I’ve known this song from childhood - but listening to it again I really deeped the words and they really convicted me. It’s when it says - “I have made You too small in my eyes, oh Lord forgive me. And I have believed in a lie that You were unable to help me.”. Now pause and read that again, because what?! How dare I ever deem my situation too big for my God. It’s all too often we forget just WHO it is that we serve. A God that made the heavens, moon and stars with His fingers (Psalm 8:3) and we think for some reason that our issues are too big for Him?! Instead of giving so much thought to the issue, be still and meditate on who He is - it’ll really change your perspective.
Surround yourself with truth.
I can’t stress this point enough, when the Bible says that the Word of God “is sharper than any double edged sword.” - it really meant it.
I’ll give you an example - as mentioned before, earlier this year I was really struggling in the area of trusting God for breakthrough in my own life and so instead I allowed my mind to be filled with so much fear and anxiety. It got to the point where I was really tired of constantly stressing about things, and so I printed out scriptures and stuck them on my walls, so each time I was tempted to believe the lies of the enemy and feel anxious I would fight back with truth - bringing every thought into captivity into the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). And trust me those lies really had to bow when they were combatted with truth.
I really recommend putting up scripture in places that you’ll always see them. Because I found that having the Word on my walls really helped me in that season when those lies from the enemy would creep up on me - I was able to shut him right down because I was strapped up with the Word. This is even a reminder to me as I write this now because it’s easy to get lazy with it when things feel ‘okay’ - but no we must stay strapped with the Word at ALL times.
Self pity is a waste of time, and hinders progress.
I think the worst thing you can do whilst going through a hard time is feel sorry for yourself - and I’m talking from experience lol! In moments when I’ve given into self-pity, it has always been the biggest waste of time because it doesn’t change a SINGLE thing about the situation.
Sometimes I have to check myself lol - like Khai be so forreal, this whole time you’ve sat here sulking, you could have been doing something that will actually help the problem. So when tempted to sit and wallow in all your sorrows I encourage you to thank God (i’m speaking to myself too btw). And no, at times you probably won’t feel like it. But self pity doesn’t move God’s heart - whereas thanksgiving and faith does.
Hard times mould you for new seasons.
Consider, maybe things feel somewhat ‘hard’ now because He is moulding the parts of you that you didn’t know even needed moulding. Maybe He is refining you now so that you can walk into the next season prepared and ready for all that He has for you :)
What you’re going through now will help someone else.
When you come out on the other end, not only are you free, but you also have a testimony to share! A testimony that will help, encourage and bless other people that may have gone through or are going through the same things that you have.
I think it’s so beautiful to relate and encourage people that are in similar situations to where you may have once been, because I know that for me when i’ve gone through difficult times and heard other people’s testimonies that God has bought them through, its like a glass of water in the desert - like phew Khairah, it’s actually going to be okay, you’re not going to die (disclaimer: I know I am rlly extra, but I actually do be having to have these conversations with myself).
But no in all seriousness through your testimony of God’s goodness you are then able to uplift others with what Jesus has done for you, knowing He can and will do the same for them.
And lastly, honestly guys hard times never last.
It may not feel like it, but seasons come and go. There is always a brighter day coming, ESPECIALLY when we are in Christ. So to anyone in the middle of a storm, it does end. The storm will eventually run out of rain. And remember hard times mould you for new seasons - so be excited for what’s next. Lean on Jesus, trust in Him, you’ll be okay :)
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” - Psalm 55:22
LINKS
SONG LINK (Be Magnified) - https://youtu.be/GoqzaSNOIJw?si=Wxrx5_E782rPaRbi