All Along for My Good
The tears came. The emotions were far too much to keep inside. The pressure mounted and I let the tears fall.
I wasn’t alone in my ache. She was there in my time of need. She was there when I was too broken to stand alone. A friend’s shoulder was and is meant to be a safe place. One that is comforting and reassuring. A reminder to you that you are seen and known in the midst of whatever ache you currently face.
She met me in my weak moment. Without words, her actions meant more than anything. Her embrace was and is a comfort I never want to take for granted.
We all face moments in our lives that will knock us down. Take us by surprise. Or leave us feeling discouraged, exhausted, or overwhelmed. Sometimes it may feel like we are hit more than others, but no one is immune to difficult seasons.
It's hard to see any good or purpose while in the middle of pain, isn’t it?
A Swiss-American psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, introduced a model back in 1969 that is still widely utilized today. Many of you have probably heard and worked through this yourself, perhaps without knowing: The 5-Stages of Grief/The Kubler-Ross Model/The Stages of Death and Dying. Maybe you heard one of these names in school or from a trusted counselor. Originally, the work involved research on terminally ill patients and their understanding of death and their mortality. It is now widely utilized to help grieving individuals process their circumstances and persevere toward healing.
The stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Perhaps you can think of a situation or circumstance that you’ve been through lately and how you worked through these stages.
Sometimes we need to be reminded that God is working. While feeling down, disappointed, or confused, we need to be reminded that there is a plan, no matter how dark the night may be. It’s OKAY to experience all of the emotions of a difficult season. God wired our bodies to be able to feel and experience for a reason. Tough times are not meant to be rushed through so that we can get back to everything as it was. For during those seasons, God is molding us and preparing us for something magnificent. It just takes a little while to get there sometimes.
Friends are one of God’s magnificent gifts to us. No doubt our friends show up for us, keep us humble, provide an honest opinion, and listen to our concerns or venting explosions. I think they also speak God’s blessings over our lives. Reminding us of the plan that we cannot see, but is there. Gently allowing us to sit in our weak moments but loving us too much to allow us to stay there for too long and reminding us that there is still a reason to have joy.
There is power in surrounding yourself with the right people. You need people to pour into your life truth, joy, and positivity. It's true what they say, you become like those you spend time with. Life is too hard on its own. Do yourself a favor and surround yourself with good people: those who love you and have nothing but your best interest in mind.
To those who have always been there for me, thank you. I cannot tell you how much it means to feel loved during my painful seasons.
To those in a tough season right now, give yourself grace. Trust that above all else, God is at work. He is working beauty out of ashes and one day we will understand that it was all for our good.
1 Corinthians 10:23, NIV
“I have the right to do anything,” you say - but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” - but not everything is constructive.
