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This last year and a half has been so hard for a friend of mine. She has endured trial after trial including several losses, health problems with family members, and so much suffering. I spoke to her last week and she shared that she feels like she is in a long dark tunnel, with a tiny, faint light at the end. After we finished talking, she sent me this picture. It’s her with a miner’s pick axe in her hand standing next to a beautifully “mined” heart.
It got me thinking. When we go through times of trial and it is dark and it is hard, our only choice is to keep plugging away. We keep walking and keep chipping away at the tunnel so we can get to the light at the end. In the tunnel we can’t see. It’s dark. It’s lonely. It’s seems like it goes on forever, BUT it doesn’t. There is ALWAYS an end. The end may not look like what we want or even expect, but just like this emoji picture, the outcome is beautiful.
We can’t see what we are chipping away at when we are in the tunnel, but when the light comes pouring in, we see that God has been chipping away at the rough edges and the smudges in our heart. What is left behind is beautiful. During our sufferings and trials, God is refining our hearts. We are changed people on the other side.
We will be changed for the better if we surrender all that we are going through to our Father in heaven. If we let go of our agenda, our expectations, our disappointments, and our frustrations, we are able to let God do what He wants to do in our hearts.
If you are going through a difficult time and YOU are in a tunnel, keep chipping away. Keep praising God. Keep trusting God. Keep believing that He is good. Keep believing that He has wonderful plans. Keep your eyes fixed on what is going well. Be thankful for the little wins.
As you continue to walk and put one foot in front of the other and as you continue to persevere, keep the following in mind:
1. Nothing is wasted (your suffering will be used for His glory)
2. Good will come out of your situation
3. God is good…there is NO darkness or evil intention in Him
4. He has a wonderful plan
5. He is close to the broken-hearted
6. He will never leave you
Father, I pray that you will open up heaven and pour Your strength over Your children today. Help us to take one more step. Help us to “consider it pure joy whenever we face trails of many kinds, because we know the testing of our faith produces perseverance so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Mature us Father and help us to live in confidence that You are in complete control and that we don’t have to worry about anything. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
