A Devotional: Seeking God During Suffering

“And their heart was brought low with hardships. They were weakened, and there was no one to help them.”        Psalm 106:12

In my own life, I have experienced hurdles which have tested my faith in people. Our hearts can be “brought low,” as the Psalm reads, during trials with others.  Sometimes we may feel there is no one to help us. The people God has placed in our lives may seem to have abandoned us.  Relationships can become strained with family and friends.  Dealing with negative or uncaring people may feel like the hardest cross to bear. Difficulties can happen one-on-one and in group settings. For example,  a power-seeking person may dominate a group and leave us feeling on the outskirts.

Finding Answers  During Suffering

Yes, suffering and difficulty are guaranteed in life, including suffering in our relationships. Thankfully, as Christians, we can look to our Lord who faced these kinds of challenges. Jesus faced rejection, difficulty and exhausting moments. We can imitate Christ’s way of handling people we interact with each day because He experienced painful interactions with humans.

I attribute my faith and patience as a key in assisting me to get through the tough times.  It is a blessing to seek wisdom from God. Prayer is the essential element in overcoming these difficulties in the interactions with others. The quiet moments we spend in silence in the middle of adversity will strengthen us to do the right thing when we are not sure what to do or say.   It is then we call out to the Holy Spirit and begin to pray for God’s help. God is with us in these moments and wisdom may be found when we meditate on scripture and seek wisdom from the Lord in prayer.  Lent is the perfect time to start since we are in this liturgical season of the Church.

Understanding God’s love for us will also help us because the Holy Spirit will give us the love and strength to deal with tough situations and people.