How to Brave Unhappy Times

I wonder, is it possible to be brave in unhappy times?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? I turned to prayer quickly as I considered it.

When I’m hurting, humiliated, or harmed, You see Lord.

When I’m unhappy, unloved, and (frankly) unlikeable, You see Lord.

When I’m hungry for Your Word, Your Truth, Your hand to be with me and upon me, You see Lord – and You answer me.

So why do I forget, fail to believe, and fall away from truth about You, Lord my God?

Why do I doubt?

Are these questions you’ve asked yourself too?

I find I can be like the father who cried out in tears about Jesus healing his son in Mark 9:24 (NKJV), “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” I can be so quick to doubt and slow to believe until I see. Makes me think I’m very much like Thomas; doubting and disbelieving until proof appears right in front of me.

Forgive me Lord for my doubt and disbelief.

⁶ Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
⁷     for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
the flock under his care.
If only you would listen to his voice today!
Psalm 95:6-7 (NLT)

If only…

[Tweet “I’ve learned that feelings are fleeting yet God is forever.”]

Unhappy is momentary yet the joy of the Lord is momentous.

Someone once told me this, “Your very own best thinking got you where you are today.” So here’s the questions that thought brings to mind when I find myself in a place I do not want to be:

1) Do I like where I am emotionally?
2) Why am I unhappy?
3) If it’s my very best thinking that got me here, how do I get to a better place in life?

If – or rather when(!) – I am dealing with my very best thinking that has me feeling unhappy or any way other than what God plans for me, I have a choice to make.

[Tweet “I’ve learned God allows us to determine our next step.”]

Ever thought about life that way?

Let’s go back to the beginning to see that even the angels were given a choice. Lucifer was unhappy for he wanted to be like God. He decided to act on that feeling and fell from the presence of God, his Maker and Creator, the One who gave him his exquisite beauty and ability to lead the choirs of Heaven.

Can you imagine?! Imagine what? Acting like Lucifer did…

Glorifying God.

Or

Going after the glory of God for himself.

That makes me pose another question. How often do we make up our mind to willfully go our own way?

That thought makes me cringe and wonder, have I  been like Lucifer, so unhappy that I turned to my own will and way, seeking glory for myself? Or is it a better question to ask how often have I done this?

Lord, forgive me, for I have fallen so far short of Your glory, If only I would listen to Your voice today and everyday, I would fall under Your glory and into Your gracious hands full of mercy and forgiveness. Call me to Yourself today, Father.

Do I realize You are always present with me, never closer or further away from me? I pray I do not turn away, that if only I will turn to You today and listen, I will hear.

Bless You, Lord. Teach me that if only I will look to You, I will believe and brave the unhappy feelings, for they will pass, yet You endure. I can be confident that You will see me though the challenging times and the comforting times, too.

If only I will turn to Your Word, Lord, You make me brave – and chase away the feeling of being unhappy. Thank You, Father, for You are ever faithful to me. Remembering You are with me is how I brave unhappy times, Father.

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