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As teenagers, we all know how hard everyday life can be. Sometimes it’s a struggle just to get out of bed…not to mention everything that comes after that. Often times just when you think you’ve finally gotten your life under control, something huge appears in your path and seems to block all passages forward. Maybe it’s the death of someone close to you, maybe one of your friends is ignoring you, maybe you’ve suddenly been faced with a choice you don’t want to make, or a task you really don’t want to do. Whatever it may be, we all face things like this from time to time and they all seem equally impassable.

One of the most important things that I’ve learned, and am still learning, is that God works through pain in our lives. We all go through things that cause us much difficulty and that sometimes lead us to wonder how on earth this could be beneficial. The Bible tells us in Romans 8:28 that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, but sometimes, especially in times of trial, it is hard to get that from our head to our heart. While we’re told over and over again in the Bible that God will be with us, it is easy to wonder if He’s really there. I know I’ve been in that spot countless times. But the most beautiful thing in the world comes after a difficult time, when we come to realize that God was there all along, guiding us.

But how does one get to that spot? How does one move past the pain, struggle, and trial to realize God’s ultimate purpose? Psalm 116 says: “I believed, even though I said, ‘I am greatly afflicted.’” The key, I believe, is faith. The Psalmist says that he believed even though he was greatly afflicted, even though life was difficult. One of our first impulses, when faced with a trial, is to run. There are two directions a person can run. One is to the world. Sometimes we run to material things, like music, movies or books. We sometimes choose to bury ourselves in work or school. But there is another place we can run. And that is into the arms of Jesus, who promises us that He’ll be with us no matter what.

But, running that direction, even though God is waiting for us right there, is not easy. Isaiah writes, in chapter 43 and verse 2 of his book: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” You see, God doesn’t promise us a life without struggle, but he does promise to be with us. The key thing in this verse is that God doesn’t tell us that we won’t walk through the fire or go through rivers, but he does tell us that he will be with us. He begs us to run to him so that he can carry us through the flames. Then rivers will not sweep over us and the flames will not overcome us.

Have faith, even when times are difficult, even when the water seems too wild, the river seems too wide, and the fire seems too unstoppable, God will give you wings.

Isaiah 40:28- 31

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

 

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