Have you ever had a season, or a year where God seemed silent and you felt lost in a season of suffering?
It was 2003 for us, a year like none other. Our air conditioner and heater broke and needed replaced, termites were overtaking our house, our three year old son was continually on antibiotics and was currently healing from a broken collar bone and awaiting a sinus surgery – his third surgery in his short lifetime. I had experienced my first kidney stone, and then while Joe was out of the country on a mission trip our car broke down and needed a thousand dollar repair, my grandfather who lived in California was very sick, and Joe’s dad was in the hospital for over five months – the suffering felt endless. And our very small emergency fund had already dwindled away. We felt stretched beyond our capacity.
Many times, I referred to this season of our life as our “Job year”. You know the kind of seasons when everything goes wrong and not just one thing, but where it hits in threes.
Joe and I were discouraged and completely drained – emotionally, physically, and financially. We were also in a challenging ministry season where we thought it might be time to transition. I vividly remember begging God to let our streak of suffering end and to bring us some much needed relief. Although we were uncertain of a release from our ministry, in that moment I felt an undeniable assurance that our season of suffering was coming to an end. Yet, just as things seemed to be easing up, Joe was hospitalized and diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. And although this was very hard, I was still convinced that this was the last hard thing we would endure in that season. I can’t explain it other than an assurance that I felt that God had placed on my heart just days before when I prayed for his help. I was resolved that he was bringing relief and he did. I know it doesn’t always work like this but for some reason it did then.
When God gives us hope like this to hold onto, it’s as if we can do anything even in the overwhelm of a storm. In that moment it was if God offered us a way through the darkness.
And although, Joe still had diabetes and while he laid miserably in that hospital regulating his sugars, back home black mold was discovered on the corner of our house. I was told that it needed to be immediately repaired or our house risked crumbling. We didn’t know how we were going to fix it; Joe usually did our repairs, and we didn’t have any extra money to pay for it to be done. Yet, even in the midst of all of this, I had an overwhelming peace. I can’t explain it other than the goodness of God who assured me he was bringing us relief.
Eventually, Joe was released from the hospital, and our house was repaired. And we went through more hard things in the years to come, but God did cease the continual coming of hard circumstances right then. My hope might have started out very small back then, but it has grown slowly and steadily. I’ve found that when we trace the faithfulness of God, his faithfulness becomes the hope we need to trust him through all sorts of hard things - even if and even when.
Friend, when you’ve lost your hope and you’re having a hard time holding on – remember to anchor your soul onto the word of God – because Jesus alone is your hope! He was our hope then and he is our hope now!! He goes before, behind and with you every step of the way!!
Love & Blessings friends –
Ruthann
Meet our newest grandson - Journey Alen Weece
Journey was born on November 2nd and is such a blessing to us all.
Big brother Judah loves him and his parents, Justin and Ashley are such amazing parents
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A study I’m loving -
Hope Has Come by The Daily Grace Co.