In my 22 years of life, I’ve been through my fair share of trauma. Sometimes I even like to joke around and say that I am traumatized even though I know it’s not really a laughing matter. Obviously I’m not going to go into detail about it because I’m not here to share my skeletons with the world, but I do want to share the hope that keeps me going.
Here’s the reality of it all: life happens, it’s not pretty, and we all get a little wrecked sometimes. But where does God stand in the midst of the chaos?
Earlier this year, I was in one of the lowest valleys of my life. I didn’t think I would get through it. I got knocked down and was struggling to get back up and walk again.
I often thought to myself, “Where is God? Does He even love me? Do I even want to keep following Him?” In the revolving mess that my life was, He showed Himself clearer than He ever had.
Slowly but surely, I regained peace and strength through Jesus Christ.
So now here I am, eight months older, and I’m mostly okay.
Life doesn’t stop. Even when you wish it would, even if it was just for a few hours.
Some days are great and it feels like the trauma is long behind me; other days I can’t do much but praise Him despite the sorrow I feel.
Even though it feels like I was dragged through hell and back this year, I can say with full confidence that He has restored my soul and put back together the broken pieces that made me, me.
I don’t understand why things happen the way they do or why at times our hearts hurt so much we wish we could rip them out of our chests with our bare hands. But I know that He is with us. I know that He is there when we go through it.
The storm only lasts a moment and it may feel like a lifetime to our weary souls; He’s got you.
He’s carried you this far hasn’t He? He’s carried ME this far, and trust me: I’ve gone through the fire.
He’s not going to leave you.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:2.
By Corinn Lily for ThoughtCatalog