I peeked through my office window and saw the tiny pink buds hesitantly starting to bloom. The bright color contrasted the brown landscape across my front yard. A smile crossed my face as I grabbed the camera to capture the hopeful yet minor signs of spring in early March. My heart rejoiced with the promise of cheerful colors and singing birds after a gloomy winter.

Spring is my favorite time of the year. I love the fall, with its magnificent, colorful forests and crisp cool air after the scorching summer months, but something about spring makes my heart sing for joy. After a long, dreadful winter, when nature dies and rests in complacent abandon, the first blooms remind me that there’s an end for every sorrow, just as there’s hope in every trial.

After a long, dreadful winter, when nature dies and rests in complacent abandon, the first blooms remind me that there’s an end for every sorrow, just as there’s hope in every trial.
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I find it necessary to create visual reminders of God’s grace in our lives, and nature is truly full of them. Meditating upon certain metaphors inspired by the seasons can become a way to anchor our hearts in truths often shadowed by our troubles.

Depression is sometimes referred to as the “winter of the soul,” and rightfully so. As we go through the terrible “winters” of sorrow brought about by the death of a loved one, unemployment, loneliness or lingering sickness, it is difficult to focus beyond our circumstances. Therefore, deep sadness, or even depression, can easily set in.

The end of winter, followed by the blooming of dogwood trees and flowers in early spring, has become an anchoring reminder to keep my focus in check each time I go through a shadowy valley. “No pain lasts forever,” the blooms remind me. Indeed, spring reminds me that just as nature is not dead during winter, God is also at work in the “winters of the soul,” preparing, caring for us, birthing new joys when we think that all hope is gone.

Spring reminds me that just as nature is not dead during winter, God is also at work in the “winters of the soul,” preparing, caring for us, birthing new joys when we think that all hope is gone.
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I can’t compare other people’s sufferings with mine, but I’ve certainly had my share of troubles. I’ve gone through many health problems, including cancer. We lost a loved one in a tragic accident. I experienced deep emptiness and loneliness following my separation from family and friends when I moved to America over two decades ago. We lost a lot of money in a business venture and faced unemployment twice in the years we’ve been married.

Life has certainly not always been a bed of roses without thorns. But as I look past each trouble I’ve faced, this fact stands out, more significant than anything I’ve ever endured: “Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” This truth, extracted from one of King David’s psalms, has been repeatedly tested and proven in my life. God has always provided me with the grace needed to pass each test — if only I would choose to look up to him instead of fixing my eyes on my difficult, however fleeting circumstances.

"Weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
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As I watch the tree in my front yard blooming this early spring, I am again reminded of God’s faithfulness through the difficult seasons of my life. I am reminded that every winter of the soul has a purpose and that it also has an end.

It is through suffering that our character becomes stronger, and it is through watching God’s enduring presence in the most challenging days that our faith has the opportunity to grow.

Above all, the end of a long winter reminds me to trust that the sorrows of each long trial are but a shadow compared to the beauty and strength that God will bring forth in our character as we anchor our hearts in His promises and as we trust that spring will certainly come, even in our darkest and coldest days.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on March 25, 2022. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

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The post Spring Reminds Us There’s an End for Every Trial {Recharge Wednesday Linkup} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Hezekiah, king of Judah, is listed as one of the few kings from Israel’s pre-Babylonian captivity days who is described as having had a close relationship with God. This zealous king became keenly aware of the disobedience in Judah, and therefore made the decision to “clean house.” He ordered the destruction of altars that had been built for idol worship, shattered statues, and did not even spare Nehushtan –  the bronze snake used by Moses in the wilderness – because the people stopped looking at it as a reminder of God’s faithfulness and started worshipping it as an idol (2 Kings 18:4).

He cleaned and reopened the temple, which had been shut close by Ahaz, his unfaithful father; and reinstituted the Passover as a national holiday.

Revival descended upon the Southern Kingdom.

Judah was located between two world powers: Egypt and Assyria. Both countries wanted to control it because it was in the middle of a trading route to the Middle East; therefore, the nation that controlled Judah would have an economic advantage over its rivals.

When Hezekiah took the throne, the Assyrian King Sennacherib had besieged Jerusalem. And so, refusing to have the same fate as the northern Kingdom of Israel, which had been taken into captivity by the Assyrian king, king Hezekiah made a courageous move and rebelled against Assyria. He trusted God in the battle, thus defeating the Philistines (2 Kings 18:7).

But something went terribly wrong. Hezekiah became proud of his accomplishments. Later, he unwisely paraded his wealth to the Babylonian delegation, inciting greed in the heart of the Babylonian king (2 Kings 20:12-19). Thus, Babylon, a mighty military power, included Judah in the list of nations to conquer.

As we read on, we see the avalanche that happens when someone once faithful and favored by God, allows pride and unbelief to grasp his or her heart: the Prophet Isaiah tried to warn the King, but to no avail (Isaiah 30-31). Hezekiah took matters into his own hands. In an attempt to secure Judah’s borders, he sought a secret defensive alliance with Pharaoh against Sennacherib of Assyria, thus inciting an entire nation’s rebellion against God, once again.

The Jews started listening to anyone but God. Rather, they secretly sought refuge in the Egyptian’s military prowess.

The “secret” alliance was no secret to God. And so He speaks through Isaiah to the obstinate people:

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen, because they are very strong, but they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord! (…) Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit; (…) ” Isaiah 31:1, 3(a)

Judah chose to trust a strange, idolatrous nation for help when all they needed was to believe and trust God.

History repeated itself in the Southern Kingdom.

It repeats itself in many believer’s hearts today.

So many of us go through seasons of great trust in the Lord. We watch His mighty hand at work or recall His wonderful deeds in our lives, and because we choose to walk closely with Yahweh through daily communion with Him, we feel empowered by the memories of times of deliverance, provision and strength. We vow to “clean the temple” and trust in God for all our needs. Those are our Hezekiah, “Part I” moments.

But isn’t it true that the moment we move our eyes from His face, whether because we fail to seek Him daily or allow sin to take over our lives, it becomes easy to see our circumstances as too big for God to handle? Call those our Hezekiah, “The Sequel” moments, if you will. We all have them.

# 1 – We seek the help of “Egypt” instead of quietly relying on God for deliverance.

# 2 – We lean on our own understanding instead of “trust in the Lord with all our heart, in all our ways acknowledge Him,” and quietly wait for Him to “direct our path.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 – paraphrased)

# 3 – We become impatient, anxious, and consequently, make hasty decisions.

And we do all these things while God sits on His throne, hands full of promise and power to deliver us from every.single.circumstance.

“As the lion or the young lion growls over his prey, against which a band of shepherds is called out, and he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise, so will the Lord of hosts come down to wage war on Mount Zion and on its hill.” Like flying birds so the Lord of hosts will protect Jerusalem. He will protect and deliver it; He will pass over and rescue it.” Isaiah 31: 4-5

Oh, Father, help our unbelief!

Help us to open our eyes and see our anxiety for what it is – lack of trust! Faith failure!

Lord, Help us to open our eyes and see our anxiety for what it is – lack of trust! Faith failure! #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation
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Open our eyes that we may see You as our just, compassionate and mighty King, Who is never deterred by the size or strength of our enemies!

Help us to see the Lion of Judah reigning over us, unphased by the chaos of our surroundings, and ever ready to defend our territory, if only we quiet our spirits long enough to let Him!

Help us to see the Lion of Judah reigning over us, unphased by the chaos of our surroundings, and ever ready to defend our territory, if only we quiet our spirits long enough to let Him!
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Take heart, my friend! The Lion of Judah roars over your circumstances today; nothing and no one can stand against Him.

Take heart, my friend! The Lion of Judah roars over your circumstances today; nothing and no one can stand against Him. #MondayDevotional #MondayMotivation
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The boundary of the ocean drew closer and closer, but baby seagull instinctively knows it: It can only go so far.

There is hardly a place on Earth where I feel God’s presence more than at the beach. It may be because I grew up at a beach town in southern Brazil, where surfing, building sandcastles, and walking along the shoreline were part of my weekly, sometimes daily routine. Or maybe it is because the beach is one of the very few places where I can truly unwind. Regardless, the moment I see the ocean and smell its unique scent, my muscles start relaxing, and all noises die down. There, where the line on the horizon marks the limit between heaven and earth, I feel the presence of God like nowhere else.

My husband and I were strolling down the beach during our family vacation earlier this week, enjoying a long conversation during our morning walk. We talked about plans for our future and marveled together as we recalled God’s faithfulness to us in the 20 years we’ve been married. We talked about the many trials we’ve faced and how hard it can be to see God’s hand amid life’s storms.

“He gave the sea its boundaries so the waters would not overstep his command (…)”

As we watched the waves crashing by our feet, Solomon’s words in the eighth chapter of the book of Proverbs came to mind. In this beautiful text of Scriptures, the wise king is inspired by God to bring wisdom to life. In beautiful, poetic verses, the chapter gives us a glimpse of the depth of God’s knowledge and wisdom when making the heavens and the earth … and while directing our lives.

I’ve heard it said that “God will not give you more than you can handle.” This sentence is repeated by well-meaning people, in an attempt to ease the distress felt by those going through life’s trials. As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I could not disagree more with the principle. This “motto” is actually a distorted interpretation of the apostle Paul’s words in his first letter to the Corinthian church:

“No temptation has overtaken you, except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The word temptation in the context refers not only to tempting thoughts or actions but also to tests and trials we face. Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthian believers was not to let them know that God would stop pain before their breaking point, but rather, that He is faithful to give us the strength and grace to face the hard trials in life, if only we lean on Him instead of our own strength and understanding.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul was not telling believers that God would stop pain before their breaking point, but rather, that He is faithful to give us the strength and grace to face the hard trials in life.
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Indeed, this principle has been tested and proven in my life, as many trials I’ve faced had the potential to drive me to a breaking point; since no resources, wisdom, nor help could be found in the circumstances.

There was that time when, with a 3-month-old baby, my husband lost his job, and we depleted our savings account to be able to keep our household functioning. We were driven to the point of utter dependence on God for provision, as doors kept closing for many months. It was during those stressful, however priceless months, that we saw God’s hand of provision in ways that can only be explained as supernatural.

Or like the time when health issues piled up, weakening my flesh and spirit, tempting me to give up on the ministry God has called me to do. And yet, His love, mercy and grace gave me the strength to take one more step forward.

Indeed, as real as the fact that hard circumstances often drive us to the end of ourselves, is the truth that God meets us there to teach, mold, and strengthen us. There’s a purpose for each trial.

As real as the fact that hard circumstances often drive us to the end of ourselves, is the truth that God meets us there to teach, mold, and strengthen us. There's a purpose for each trial.
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May we never forget that the mighty waves of troubling circumstances that sometimes break over our lives are controlled by the same One who put a boundary on the ocean. They will only go as far as His purpose for our lives will allow. Not one inch farther. Nor one minute longer.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, September 28, 2019.

My Redeemer lives with Nicole C. Mullen:

The post God Sets the Boundaries for Each Trial {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.