One interesting dynamic of life is the universality of what feels most personal. Those hard feelings deep inside you that hesitate to admit? That inner wrestling you do in your quest to find peace? The pain that keeps you awake at night in bed? It’s all part being of human.
God planted in us a desire to be with Him. Only in heaven will we feel perfect peace and happiness. Until we reach our final destination, we must learn to live with the inner voids that create a longing for eternity.
In Romans 8:18, we are told that suffering is temporary, and the pain we feel today can’t compare to the joy that is coming. This promise is an anchor for the soul, a hope to cling to in dark moments and days.
But how do we deal with suffering? How do we apply the comforting truths of the Bible to the harsh realities of this world? Here are five things to remember.
1. Remember you’re not alone. Hard times feel isolating. You may think you’re the only person whose heart is in pain — but you’re not.
Everyone’s pain looks different and comes in different seasons, but we all know what it’s like to feel sad, discouraged, rejected, guilty, dismissed, angry, overlooked and forgotten by God.
Looking at social media can make you feel more alone if it appears everybody else has their act together. But like you, the people in your news feed have good days and bad days. Days they rock it and days they blow it. Days they crush life and days that life crushes them.
