Happy New Year Loves!
I wanted to make this post because today as I was celebrating with my big cousin/brother for his 23rd birthday, we discussed how 2017 was a rather financially difficult year.
Tonight, As I was journaling and reading the Bible, the words, “It’s all temporary; tough times don’t last always.” resonated in my spirit and I felt much peace.
My spirit gained peace not solely because of my faith in better days ahead, but rather because I started thinking about what some of my lowest and most difficult times did for me.
Going through tribulations doesn’t feel good going through it, in fact, it hurts and can be extremely overbearing and scary. Whether your tough times are due to finances, relationships, addictions, self esteem, career related, or anything else; I know it hurts finding our way through our storms, it hurts and it’s scary.
I was reflecting back on some times last year when I literally only had about $3.00 to my name and a lot of bills and fees that were calling my name all at once. I’m someone that gets very frantic about money, I hate the feeling of not knowing how I’m going to pay something or the feeling of being without money to live comfortably.
But tonight, I really reflected on if it wasn’t for my lowest times in life, I don’t know if I would fully be able to say I’d be passionate about God, or hungry for my purpose.
It is always through my darkest seasons, I seem to gain the most wisdom. My darkest seasons teach me how to fight and overcome. When you’re down, there’s nowhere else to go but stay down or go up.
My bruises attract a lot of other bruised people who are in search of healing. I wouldn’t fully know how to relate or reach other people if I didn’t have to go through some wars.
I’ve met some of the most amazing people and helped so many souls simply because of my testimony. Many times, a lot of my blog posts are rooted from my storms.
Even though some seasons are darker than others, tough times do not last always. I think about many of the problems I’ve had years ago, and look at where I am today. Those storms from two years ago that I battled with, one day it stopped raining. Those storms didn’t last always; I can testify to that because I’m no longer in those same storms from two or three years ago. Sure other storms have come, but they didn’t last always.
Here are 5 things my storms always do for me:
1. I gain more armor.
When I’m exposed to turmoil and tribulations, I’m forced to find inner strength. I’m forced to cling to God because He’s the only one bigger than all my problems and everything and everyone. It’s in my wars that God strengthens me. He makes me strong where I’m weak.
“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”– 2 Corinthians 12:9-11
2. I learn to depend on faith rather than the mere power of man.
My storms are truly tests of faith. When I’m up against the world and it seems no way out, my faith in God’s supernatural power is the only thing that keeps me going. Humans are great, and it’s great to get help from others, but have you ever been at just a low, low, low season of your life and it seemed like no one could bring you out? No matter who spoke to me, no matter who told me I was enough, no matter who told me it will all be okay, it’s not the same as when I find solace in Jesus. Jesus deepens my dependence on Him during my dark seasons because He makes me feel a sense of peace and completion that surpasses what the world gives me.
“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold.”– 1 Peter 1:7
3. I gain divine wisdom.
If it weren’t for my darkest and most painful seasons, I don’t believe I’d have the wisdom I have now. Many people have told me, that they think I’m wise beyond my age. But truthfully, divine wisdom comes from God. It’s in my darkest hours that I desperately gain the most wisdom because my heart clings to Him. I start to come out of worldly viewpoints and God exposes my mind to spiritual wisdom. God reveals to me what my storm can actually do for me if I don’t let it break me. He always supplies me with an increased testimony.
“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.”-Romans 5:3
4. My testimony increases.
God always shows me what my storm is doing for me rather than to me. If we remember, that our existence here on this earth is so much bigger than ourselves, we can take the focus off ourselves and focus on how your testimony can impact the lives of others. Our purpose here on this earth is really to make an impact. In order to really connect to others and inspire, it takes you having to go through some valleys so you can help others caught in their valleys. In order to understand people, we have to know how to relate to them and how to connect to them on a deeper level. Your storms create experience for you. Just remember; it’s doing more for you rather than to you, if you let it. Stay encouraged.
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”-1Peter 5:10
5. I become closer to God.
I remember my first time crying tears of Joy because for the first time ever, I realized I had fallen in love with Jesus. I reflected back on my life and where I use to be and who I use to be, and I wept. I wept because God’s fingerprints were all over me. I remember suffering from severe low-self esteem, I constantly rested my self-worth in the palms of others. I mistreated myself and let others mistreat me, in hopes to fulfill my internal voids. But one day, I literally tried God. And it changed my life. I became close to God because nothing else seemed to give me the completion He offered me. When I’m suffering and feel lost, those are quiet moments I cling to Jesus hard and gain a deeper relationship with Him. It’s in my darkest times,that God supplies me with so much light that enables me to keep going.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”-Joshua 1:9
All this to say, sometimes my pockets feel close to empty, sometimes life can leave me feeling broken, sometimes I cry, but other days I have true joy. My tough times don’t always last. Though they come, I can always count on better days ahead and trust that if God has me going through a particular storm, He has a sunny day after the tunnel.
Again, Happy New Year Friends!
Keep praying, keep believing, keep going. Surely, God is with all who cling to Him.
-Padriana Grace
JesusChristChangedMyLife because I know He always has better days ahead for me.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”.-James 1:2-4
Its so easy to get caught up in our Cicumstances instead keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus! Love the scriptures…With God all Things Are Possible! Thanks for sharing