Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. I write to you, young women, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you. You have overcome all fears, anxieties, sadness, and temptations that try to creep around you and knock you down.
I know how hard it is to be a woman in this century when everything around you seems to be going well, and everyone appears to have it all figured out. When your schoolmates attend classes regularly, but you’re juggling different jobs just to save money for tuition fees. When your friends are walking down the aisle, and you’re still waiting for a kind love to come. When your colleagues enjoy their freedom, but you’re at the corner of the room babysitting your little ones, cleaning toilets, and washing dishes in the kitchen sink. When your coworker suddenly gets a promotion and takes tours to different continents, but you’re struggling to find a stable job and managing your expenses one by one. When your sister celebrates the seventh birthday of her second child, and you’re murmuring for a miracle for your barrenness. When your neighbor purchases a beautiful home, but you’re struggling to pay your monthly rent. When your sister in Christ seems to be growing spiritually and fruitfully in her calling, but you feel like a scraggly little ragamuffin quietly struggling in your faith and calling.
Different seasons bring different obstacles in womanhood, and sometimes you feel choked and suffocated trying to find the rhythm of your life amidst unmet expectations, job loss, financial instability, broken relationships, illness, loneliness, infertility, and the death of loved ones. Give yourself the grace and space to find joy in the seemingly unremarkable moments of life. You don’t need to be perfect; sometimes it takes courage to be content even when you feel wrecked and messed up. In the secret places of your mind and heart, God is fully present. When it’s too painful and personal to speak out loud, God’s ear is on you.
I know you don’t need a long sermon on how to find joy again, nor a lengthy letter to uplift your weary soul. I don’t know the weight or gravity of your pain—it’s hard to walk in someone else’s shoes—but this is my prayer: that you find joy in the corner where you are right now. That you find peace and relief in knowing that growing doesn’t always mean getting the right answers, and faith doesn’t only flourish when the ending is good. It’s about trusting Him in any season, whether your hands are empty, your heart is hurting, or you find no healing. Just like Habakkuk, may you surrender and pray this:
Take heart, hold on to the giver of life.
