I didn’t want to be here again, but here I am. Struggling to make sense of anything. Fighting to break out of the clouds that seem to surround me, heart and mind. It is disheartening. It’s frustrating. It’s hard to accept. 

Sometimes, our reality doesn’t look like we want it to. 

Sometimes, the circumstances in our lives crack open a door for the enemy to slip through, an effective tool for wreaking havoc on our state of mind and ability to see truth clearly.

Sometimes, no matter how much Scripture we read, how much fight we put up, how much good we recognize in our lives, how many prayers we send up, we still feel like we’re drowning. 

Sometimes, we are drowning. 

Sometimes, it’s time to sit in the sorrow to properly appreciate what is on the other side. Other times, it is time to stand up and fight against our feelings. And, sometimes, we don’t know which option to choose.

Sometimes, we feel alone in our struggle, like we’ve somehow messed ourselves up and landed here. Sometimes, we see people standing with us and feel their support holding us up. 

There are a lot of “sometimes.” But whichever sometimes you find yourself in today, may you remember that God is good - all the time. 

There is no back and forth with God. He is the same. His steadfast love and faithfulness endure forever. His strength does not waver and His support is upholding us even now. His kindness extends to generations. His grace covers us both in salvation and in sustaining us through today.

In His patience He waits for us to give up the “sometimes” and fall into the “all-the-time.”

Our struggles are not a secret, not to the One who formed us and laid out every moment before a single one had come to pass (Psalm 139). He is our refuge, our strong tower, our shelter. 

Honestly I know this to be true, but my heart seems trapped in my feelings lately. I have long loved the phrase “take heart,” but my heart seems deceiving and I would rather throw it out than take it anywhere with me.

Yet, I hear the words being whispered to me that taking heart is not about me at all. It’s about courage. 

Courage to trust in the promises of God. Courage to walk in faith when we cannot see. Courage to hold the words of Jesus as trustworthy. Courage to keep going by the strength of the Almighty God and the grace of the most loving Father. Courage to lean in to His Word that is alive and active. Courage to follow Jesus when our feelings act as quicksand.

Our God tells us to take heart because He knows we must courageously press on toward the goal that is eternity with Him. He calls to us time and time again, beckoning us to do the very thing that sometimes seems impossible. 

“Take heart, I have overcome the world. -John 16:33

“Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.” -Matthew 14:27

“Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” - Mark 10:49

“Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” - Matthew 9:2

“Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well. - Matthew 9:22

Take heart. Be courageous. Be not afraid. Walk forgiven. Walk freed. Walk in victory. For He has overcome the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Courtney Grace Watson is the creator and writer of the Faithful Fireworks blog. Her hope is that in every season women can come together and share fireworks of faith, telling of the goodness of God in bursts of beauty, and maybe even light new fireworks along the way. When she’s not crunching numbers as a CPA or writing words, she spends her time watching hockey, eating ice cream, or dreaming of a white Christmas. Connect with her by signing up for her weekly Made for Monday emails where she encourages working women by reminding them of whose image they bear. Find her here: Faithful Fireworks