What season of life are you in right now? Whether it is the mountain top of peace and joy or the valley of fear and sadness, know that you are loved and God is using this season to shape you.
“I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord.” – Psalm 77:1–2
Psalm 77 is written out of great distress. As the author “cries out”, we feel the deep despair and can even get a sense of hopelessness. We’ve all experienced the lowest of lows, and as I write to you today, there are things on my heart that have brought me to cry out, to ask God when will we be delivered, where do you want us, and what do you want from me in this season?
I was reminded of this today while listening to Pastor Rick Warren as he reflected on Mark 11:24: “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Pastor Warren pointed out that true faith means believing before we receive (noting that the verse calls for believing before receiving). That is hard when we are in the middle of the storm. Yet it’s in those very moments that God invites us to trust His promises even when they feel distant.
God hears our cries in both the good and the bad. He does not ignore us. He does not abandon us. His promises remain steady even when our circumstances shake.
No matter the circumstances, we can celebrate right now as the battle has already been won. Jesus defeated death for our eternal life, and that my friends is something to celebrate every day. I’ve found that the more I trust God through the storm – and even celebrate the coming victory, the more joy I experience once he has delivered me. The same goes for the contrary if my season was full of doubt, I wonder why I didn’t trust God more throughout.
Will you take the next step today to pray like Jesus called us to do? Trust God’s promises, he will never let you down.