You Will Have Joy Again... You Will Be Okay... I Promise!

I think this moment will be burned in my memory for the rest of my life. I was at my church, serving as a greeter, giving away high-fives and smiles. The head of my host team came up to me and asked the question we all get asked every day. 

“Hey Faith, how are you?”

My reply was, as usual, with the classic broken record:

“I’m good”

But in that moment I was frozen. Those few seconds in time had more impact on me then I expected. I had walked such a hard dark road these last two years and every time I smiled, there was still a little sadness behind it. The reply wasn’t like all the other times it had flown out of my mouth. This time, there was no “but…” after it. For the first time in a long time, I realized that I really was good! Not only that... I was actually happy. I had joy!

I wasn’t holding onto any hurt. I wasn't discontent with how my life had ended up. I wasn’t feeling betrayed. 

I WAS FREE. 

The darkness was gone. God hadn't left me in that pain and blinding sadness. That darkness was the beginning to my light and I knew in that moment that the promises of God were really going to come. So do me a favor... if you are reading this and hurting or wondering when things will change... just trust Him! 

Trust that He loves you.

Trust that He has promises for your life and that He will bring them to pass. 

Trust that you can cling to Him, even when you can’t see.

Trust that God’s timing is perfect.

Trust that He see’s the hole in your heart and that He will fill it. He’s the only one who can truly see it and know how.

Trust that as you take each step, Christ will give you the strength to take just one more. 

And if you struggle with trust, speak to yourself every day that you can trust the Lord. Affirm that in your spirit. 

The reality is that when you feel like giving up, that life is never going to change, or that you’re never going to figure out how to move on, trusting in the Lord is the only thing that can bring comfort and resolve to any of those heartaches. 

When Christ was on the cross and He didn’t feel the presence of the Lord, that darkness wasn’t the end. When he carried that cross He knew what was about to happen. His trust in the Father never wavered. The beauty of His story is that His darkness wasn’t the end. It was the most beautiful beginning. It was a catalyst that changed history. It was a moment what rescued us all. Darkness was the beginning of salvation.

So know this: the darkness being the end is never going to be God’s plan for you. There will be a day when you will be more than okay, and that day is coming! There will be a moment when your lungs will fill with air and your life will feel new all over again and that moment is coming! This darkness is the beginning of your beautiful story. 

There will also be days when you feel like the darkness is starting to sneak back into your heart. Please hear me:

That does not mean you are broken or starting back at the beginning of your broken road. 

It means your growing. It is your moment to walk that darkness differently because you've tasted the beauty of freedom.

It means you’re fortifying your faith. 

So keep moving. Even if you feel like your wandering around in the dark, remember your next step may be a moment when you bust out of the desert of your heartache and into the promise land. Because that is always God’s desire and plan for you. Let him lead you there. Trust Him. One step at a time.

You’ll get there. 

I promise!