trust the light. [what to do when struggling]

Picture this. 

You're driving in the middle of the night. It's pitch black, and you can't see even an inch in front of you. So, you turn the headlights on, and now you can see a littttle more. But you're on a winding, steep road that snakes in and out of tall, dark trees. You can only see a few feet in front of you at a time, and usually you don't know you need to turn until right before. You grip the steering wheel tightly, knowing a wrong turn (or lack of!) could send you spiraling off the path and down below. You can hear wild animals around you and you shiver - but you choose to focus on the light and the path it's showing. You take it one foot, one turn of the wheel at a time, trusting that the light will not let you down.

After what seems like an eternity, you make it out! It's the early morning now, and you see the sun again. It's honestly the BEST feeling ever. You did it. You're safe. The light from your headlights led you out, safe and sound. 

Now, you might be going through a dark, lonely trial right now. Maybe you're scared, and you have no idea what to do, where you are, or how to get out. Everything and everyone might seem like they're out to get you. You have no clue what's next. 

What do you do?! ​

Turn on your headlights - RUN TO JESUS, THE LIGHT THAT NEVER FAILS.
Pray continually and read your Bible for guidance in the winding roads of life. Check out these verses:

Psalms 27:1 says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?" 
2 Samuel 22:29 says, "You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light." Wow. How awesome and comforting is that!! 
Psalms 119:105 also says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." ​(colors and bold added)

How cool is that? The Lord and His word is our lamp: it will guide us, lead us, and make our confusing, dark paths brighter. He may not always tell you every little step ahead of time and all at once, and you may not understand it, but He'll lead you by the hand, one step at a time. He won't let you down. He's not like the headlights - the "batteries" will never run out. He is a steadfast, reliable and faithful light to us. He will NEVER let you down!

But you need to trust Him, that He knows the path you're on and where the path is going to lead you. And He knows which path you should be on when you come to a fork on the road. 

​And He WILL get you through to the end. You'll see the light of the sun again - you'll have joy again. Noo, wait, hold uppp!! How cool is this?? You can have joy DURING the journey! DURING the trial! The pain! Woah woahhh. It might not look like happy dancing and acting like you've got everything together all the time, but you can be content and rejoice in Him wherever you're at! Nehemiah 8:10b says, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The JOY of the Lord is your strength!! Whooo hooo hoo SO cool!! His joy will be our strength. And we can rejoice in the salvation we have in Jesus!!

​Additionally, Psalms 4:7 says, "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." That's a LOT of joy!! All you gotta do is ask. Ask God to fill your heart with joy, in every trial! Because James 1:2-3 commands us to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."

Your trials and your pain has a purpose! It's not for nothing. It's not just an  "ooh, let's see who we can make suffer today" thing. God turns what is meant for bad into something good! You're gonna look back one day and understand what God was teaching you. You're gonna get through this. Trust me. You're gonna be SO much stronger! Don't give up. Please keep fighting. If you're struggling right now and you need someone to talk to, please feel free to email me at stillyouloveme@gmail.com ANYTIME. I am NEVER too busy for you. And please reach out to the people around you so they can be praying for you, too! 

It won't always feel like this. The joy always comes in the morning and the morning is always faithful to come! Take heart and have faith. Trust in the light - trust in JESUS. 

He's gonna get you through. 

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