Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What does this Bible verse mean to me? It is a way of comfort. Like most people, I tend to overthink and focus on the "what ifs" and the difficulties of life. I spent more time wondering why bad things were happening to me, instead of looking at what these occurrences were teaching me. I encountered this verse on one of the harder days and I wish I could go into great detail about the feeling of the heavy weight falling off my shoulders. I am a firm believer in Christ--always have and always will be. I have dealt with my share of pain and misfortune, but I have always managed to persevere and continue with the strength of God. Jeremiah 29:11 is not just a verse to me--it is a lifestyle. You have to get through the hard times to receive the good ones; knowing that God has something better lined up for you and that it is all part of His plan, will get you through your hardest situation.

You might be wondering--if God loves us, why does He bring suffering? I cannot give you a correct answer, but I will give you my intake. Part of it is a test. He wants to make sure we will remain faithful to Him even when we do not benefit. When things go right for us, we love and praise Him, but will we turn our backs when things go wrong? Our faith should remain constant. God is preparing us. By putting us through certain difficulties, He teaches us life lessons and to be strong. He does not give us pain for His amusement; there is always a reason behind His actions. After all, what is a little suffering for an eternal life of peace and love with Him?

Your suffering is valid. You can deal with your pain the way you need to, but during that time, look for comfort and guidance in God--you may be surprised. The world brings darkness and discipline, but be that light you need. When I was going through rough waters, I will admit, I laid in bed and concealed myself from the world for days. I had zero motivation and was filled with so much hate and disgust, and it made me feel worse. I wish I could go back, get out of my bed, and stop feeling so sorry for myself. It is okay to have that day where you do not want to move or accomplish anything, but make tomorrow a new routine. If you find it more difficult to handle certain hardships, trust in God, He will be the one to carry you through.