The last couple of years have been incredibly challenging for our family. It has felt insurmountable. Too much. Never-ending. Completely overwhelming.
Several of our children have various neurodiverse disabilities. As a result, we have fought more battles than I ever thought possible, leaving me and my husband physically, mentally, and spiritually worn to the ground. I never thought life would look like this. It has been extreme. Extreme behaviours, extreme dysregulation, extreme violence, and extreme struggles with executive functioning skills. I have been feeling trauma that I have never known before. But in the midst of this, I've also experienced moments of grace and strength that could only come from God. Of course, we love our kids and will continue to fight for them. We know our path is extraordinary. And God has allowed it for reasons, I’m sure we don’t fully understand yet.
Recently, I have
been reflecting on the life of the apostle Paul, who writes in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9a
“We do not want
you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced
in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability
to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received
the sentence of death.”
This verse struck me
because the situation we are in has felt so high-pressure and far beyond my
ability to cope. I
can relate. Paul even despairs of
life itself! These are not insignificant
troubles that they are facing! It
is fierce and leads them to a place of hopelessness in
earthly life.
The end of verse 9
tells us Paul’s perspective on why they had to go through this:
“But this
happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 – “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Paul's words remind us that God brings us to humility in our weakness, often through difficulty. But in these moments, we realize our need for Him, and His strength is revealed. It's a transformative process that can inspire hope and resilience, showing us that even in our darkest moments, there is a light of faith that can guide us through.
When we realize how
desperately we need Him, how do
we rely on Him and allow His strength to be manifested in and through us?
God has been
speaking into my heart about staying rooted in Him and ‘standing
firm’. If we do this, even in the raging storm, we aren't thrown and tossed about.
Therefore, my
dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give
yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour is
not in vain.
1 Corinthians
16:13-14:
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”
What does it mean to stand firm? To stand firm in our faith means to be steadfast, unwavering, and immovable in our commitment to Christ, no matter the situation. With God's help, we resist temptations, false teachings, and the enemy's attacks. It means staying rooted in God’s Word, persevering in prayer, and allowing ourselves to grow in Spiritual maturity. We rely on God's truth and not on our feelings, even in (or especially in) the face of challenges and opposition.
We need help from one another to stand firm: In trial, it can become challenging to stay focused on God and His Word when there is so much distraction. We need our fellow brothers and sisters to walk alongside us and encourage us.
“And let us
consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving
up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one
another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”
I encourage you to hold onto Jesus and allow Him to work good through whatever situation you are facing. Pray, read the Bible - small chunks a day, and thank God for His goodness. Life can be complicated; it can hurt, and it's okay to feel and express that. But trust God with the outcome; He doesn’t waste our sufferings. One day, we will look back and see the beauty God brought from ashes.
Reach out to others – the ones you trust. Perhaps a mental health professional. It can be terrifying to be vulnerable with others, so ask God to tell you who to reach out to. Then, take a step of faith and allow them to support you. We weren’t meant to travel this journey of life alone.
1 Corinthians 12:26 - 'If one part [of the body of Christ] suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it. '
Romans 12:15 - "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
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