Over the past year, I have been on a treacherous journey. For a long time, everything was absolutely wonderful. I was in the word everyday and it was super easy worshiping God. I never understood what the deepening meaning of faith was until I found myself walking alone on a road with God that I never wanted to travel. I think we all walk on this road at least once. This road I am talking about is the road when everything around you is on fire and crashing down. When you think that it cannot get any worse, bang… you were beyond wrong, and then it gets worse.
It’s the road where your friends leave you and you feel completely alone. It’s the road where every plan for your future is shattered like a windshield that endured a wreck. It’s the road where you learn to understand the real meaning of patience, humility, and pain. It’s the road you step on right after you hit rock bottom so hard that it started to hit back. It hurts to be on this road, and I never imagined I’d have to walk on it.
As I embarked on this adventure, God began to do surgery on a broken heart that was consumed with hatred, hurt, and negativity. For the longest time, it’s like I was in need of a surgery but instead of doing the thing that would completely heal me, I was taking medicine to temporarily fix problems that only the Great Physician could fix. When I finally gave it to God, He went to the deepest part of my heart, where it hurt the most, and began a painful process of healing. I learned that there is a season for everything… even to weep, mourn, and hurt.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says:
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
Everything I endured, I found that the timing was perfect. God gave me everything I needed, exactly when I needed it. He tends to do that. I am so thankful for these promises. Yes, there is a time for hurt… but there is also a time for joy, laughter, and dancing. I am so thankful that we don’t have to stay stationary in our sorrows. If we let God do what He needs to do, He will turn our pain into purpose and our chains into life change.
In Psalm 30, it says, “Weeping may spend the night, but there is joy in the morning.”
If you are going through something where you feel you can’t last another day… just… keep… going. God is a miracle working God and He keeps His promises. This pain will not last forever. Even when you can’t see it, God is still working! He is making a path for you… get ready.
Isaiah 43:19, my favorite bible verse, says this, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”
God is going to move in places you don’t even think there is a possibility for movement. Don’t fear just because you are in a valley or in a place you don’t want to be. Sometimes for God to get ahold of us, it requires us to be in a state of brokenness. Sometimes it takes pain to be able to fully understand how capable God is. This pain you are experiencing might have been necessary for God to get your attention. Recognize the season He has you in and let Him use it. Give this to God and be thankful. It’s in the valley where our faith grows. God knows what He’s doing.
God is already working on your behalf. He is defeating giants you haven’t faced yet. He is fighting battles you don’t even know about.
Jesus went through the hardest and most painful thing possible when He died on a cross. He did that with me and you in mind. There are hard days- just like the days leading up to the cross. BUT GOD rose from the grave on the third day! This is the greatest mourn-to-dance story in history! Trust that there will be a time to dance. Right now, have faith that God will take you through this and you will come out in victory. I think it’s important to recognize that in these bible verses, it doesn’t just end after the hard part. Like, it doesn’t just say, “there is a time for mourning.” It doesn’t end there… it also says there is a time for dancing.
There will be a time to dance, maybe it’s just not right now. God might have something He needs to show you- that you can only see from the place He has you in right now.