Courage

He Does Not Promise It Will Be Easy

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Sometimes life is rough. It gets so heavy. Big problems, little problems, ongoing problems, daily life . . . it all adds up.

Do you ever just get tired? Do you grow weary and think you just can’t possibly keep going? I know I do. It is in those times we have to make the choice to press on each day, press on into His presence and truth, knowing He will meet us right where we are and walk with us.

My husband and I celebrate our anniversary this month, and we love to pull out our wedding album and reminisce. Those two young people, so in love, had no earthly idea what was ahead for them. Within two years we were facing life and death when doctors discovered my husband had a giant brain aneurysm.

We came upon the “in sickness and in health“  part sooner than we could have imagined. We were newlyweds, in our early 20s, stationed an ocean away from home and our family. We had each other and we had to trust deeper in God.

We had to have total dependence on Him through something we had no control over.

The process took months between his diagnosis and all the testing and procedures they did to put together a plan for his nearly 13-hour brain surgery. In and out of the hospital, months of recovery, lasting effects, never being the same again. Life changed forever.

We intimately learned that God does not promise a pain-free life, He does not promise an easy life. He promises He will be with us and to give us strength.

Our journey in this life will be broken, uncertain, and difficult. It will certainly be exhausting. But we can take comfort in His truth that He will sustain us. He is what we need.

I love the beautiful reminder and truth in Isaiah. When we travel our journey with God, it doesn’t matter what we have to endure, He will renew our strength. We can run and not grow weary. We can walk and not be faint.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. {Isaiah 40:31}

We held on to Him for dear life during that time. He was our hope. He strengthened us, we pressed on, and we made it through. As we have in seasons since then. As we will in seasons to come. He promises to pull us through, no matter how difficult the journey seems. He is bigger.

I want to encourage you today to hold on to hope, even when you are exhausted.

Remember when you can’t see a way out, He already knows the plan. Keep your eyes on Him and He will strengthen you and sustain you.

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God promises to pull us through, no matter how difficult the journey seems. He is bigger. Today at @incourage: https://aws.incourage.me/?p=179298

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About the Author

Jennifer is an artist living in rural Nebraska with her US Army veteran husband. She loves to create and seeks to reflect the beauty of Christ and encourage others in meaningful, beautiful ways. You can find her and see more of her art on Studio JRU.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. Oh Jenn, I know you get all we’ve been facing and you have encouraged me for almost two years now. Reading this lifted me up even more. It has helped me make a new resolve today. To, stay close to Jesus…let God’s peace overwhelm me in his presence, and ask the Holy Spirit to change my thinking and align my thoughts with our Father’s. xoxo

    • Thank you for this story. I recenly thought I had reached a place in my life that I THOUGHT I was going to be able to share my testimony with others to maybe help someone else through adificult time,when out of the blue the” ground was pulled out from under me”, once again! As I am in the midst of yet what will be a battle,and will take some time its stories like these that keep me going ! Thank you,Gods Blessings !

      • I am so sorry you are in a difficult season, Catherine. Praying He will renew your strength. Praying you find hope and encouragement when you read these stories and know that you are not alone. You will share your story when the time is right and I am sure it will encourage and lift up others.

      • Catherine,

        Prayers for renewed strength and healing. May you find hope and contentment as you travel the journey God has for you. Praying for you to know that God is with you and I am with you in spirit.

        Blessings 🙂

  2. Oh what a beautiful message and oh so timely. We read, study, and teach about not being weary. But life does get exhausting and emotions get the best of us sometimes. Thank you for such a beautiful post that has touched me in this particular time.

  3. It’s so lovely to be reminded He will be with us, we will never be weary or faint. He will sustain us, thank you for your oh so honest post.

  4. Thank you, this needs to be the very air we breathe! Blessings for all you do!

  5. Thank you so much for this reminder of God’s faithfulness. He has been with my family through many trials and I’m facing a very irritating (but doable) medical issue and trying to keep the panic at bay as I type. (Evidently I am an auto-immune disease magnet!) This was so encouraging and I will start my day on a positive note!

  6. Thank you Jenn for sharing your heartfelt encouragement. I desperately needed this today as I am exhausted from the recent circumstances over which I have no control and I am weary. Thank you for reminding me that God is with us in this, that we are exactly where we should be and that God already knows the plan. When my fear is great, God is greater. Recently someone shared with me that FEAR = forgetting everything is all right. Thank you for reminding to keep my eyes on God. He is greater than my fears.

  7. My husband and I have been through a similar situation. His health issue is life long. Life long pain and suffering. Some days better than others. Paralysed and bed ridden for three years but God was there. But I couldn’t see Him. I was under the weight of the world. Three boys 1.5 years old to 3.5 years old. No family. The turned their back. Friends lost because they could not deal. One friend remained and still does. God provided her. Finally a light. Three years. Future dreams for our family gone. I was to be father and mother. Who would teach them to fish, hunt, just do guy stuff. I had to work overtime to pay for the nanny I had to have to be able to change diapers, get up for school, feed, sub for me. Then after three years suddenly in a moments time a massive pop, snap, shock of severe pain occurred. Feeling was back. He got up and walked!!! Shuffled really. God WAS there. Just as I was beginning to reluctantly accept our new found life forever, God changed our direction yet again. Almost four years since that miraculous day and he still walks. Still in severe pain, spinal headaches, still needing a sitter to get the boys up and to school. But he walks, he drives, he can attend soccer and baseball games. Even coached a season, but it took a few months to recover from that. Today we are heading to six flags. He will need a wheelchair because he cannot walk that much but he walks. God still provides. My faith today is strong get and deeper than it was 8 years ago. How could I possibly regret any of this. We still live with a debilitating disease that will not improve or go away. His abilities today may not be there tomorrow so we try to live each day fully. Well he does. I am tired, my bucket of compassion is dry. But I am seeking God constantly and pray for a renewed connection with my husband. We have a lot of healing ahead. God is with us. I k ow that. My flesh burns for normalcy. My prayer is to one day find peace with this life. Peace for my family and healing within my marriage. But he still walks and God is still with us.

    • Pam, thank you for your beautiful testimony that praises our God. I have been through something similar and yes, He is so good 🙂 Its not over and I have no idea when it may be, so I understand your weary. I tell myself “let us not grow weary of doing good”, to come to Christ who are wearied and burdened and He gives me rest. I am grateful that you seek Him always; we find Him when seek Him with all our hearts. So grateful that your faith and perseverance is strong. He never fails us and hurts with us; knowing the joy of the Lord is our true strength, hoping renews our strength, being gentle under the Spirits direction lifts us up 🙂 Thank you for sharing His work in your lives-May He continue to bless you with His living waters, from which we all need to drink so deeply from 🙂

    • What a journey, Pam! God is so good! Thank you for sharing. My husband has been left with life long issues as well as pain, so I completely understand how draining and life changing that can be. I know it is hard, I know your heartache. But seeing God in the midst gives us hope, doesn’t it? When we hold on to Him, we can get through anything. So grateful to hear you have a friend that stands by you. If you ever want to talk with someone that understands, please contact me through my own site. Praying for you and your family.

    • Pam,

      Wow!! What a testimony you and your family have!!! Praise God He healed your husband to the point of walking. You should share it with others. It will help encourage them. Prayers for continued healing!!

      Blessings 🙂

  8. Thank you for this share, I understand and know what you are saying. But for His amazing grace. May His grace and truth pour over you both in abundant new ways and new levels of knowing our awesome Heavenly Father!!!

  9. Thank you for sharing your story. Right on time. My husband is scheduled for heart surgery on July 1. Fear almost ate my lunch again today, but at 71, God has shown me in a million ways that He is with us and He is faithful. It was only as I sat down and free wrote my fears today, that He redirected me to His love and fear took a hike. This will be the second open heart surgery we’ve faced in 19 years. We thought he was forever fixed. Discovering again that God is our only FIX. Without Him we are doomed.
    God bless you Jennifer. Keep writing. You are a blessing proclaiming His faithfulness.

    • Oh I do love to hear that fear took a hike, Mary Ellen! He is our only fix! Praying for your husband. Praying for you. And thank you so much for your encouragement to keep writing!

  10. Thank you all for sharing. Five years ago I was left unable to use my legs after spine surgery. I needed to be reminded today of God*s presence in my daily life. I am so much better when I can be aware of Him right here with me.

  11. Only love, God’s love can cast out fear and He is still the healer, it is not always easy to stay focused on Him when we or a loved one are in pain or face something life threatening but that is the time to stand in presence with unwavering faith. My prayer healing and restoration for you all.

  12. I so appreciate your post. I’ve walked through discouraging times recently that have left me forgetting that God is with me. Though my struggles haven’t been physical as much as mental and emotional, I need to cling tightly to God, and to trust that He brings me (and each of us) through the hard places in life. Thank you for your beautiful post today.

    • Grateful you could be encouraged, Jeanne. Clinging to Him through our difficult journey is the only way to see the other side. Praying you always know He is with you and will never leave you.

  13. Thank you Jennifer for sharing your most personal experience. You, along with those who have replied, serve to remind me that my sorrow, my sadness, my fears are not unique just to me. There are many others who struggle under the burden of life challenges. But we remind each other in the sharing of these stories that God is with all of us always. His plan is not our plan. His reasons are not our reasons. His time is not our time. He did not promise that our journey of life would be easy but that He would be there to walk it with us. May you all be blessed in thousands of ways every day and may strength, courage and peace abide in you.

    • Thank you so much, Chris. I do love how we can see we are not alone in life’s challenges. I appreciate so much people sharing and through that, lifting others up. Thank you for lifting others with your blessings! Praying for you!

  14. Thank you for sharing your story! And thank you for the encouragement today to keep holding on to hope. Summer is always a hard season for me, so this is a very timely reminder and just the words I needed to hear. What a blessing to have hope in the midst of hard times. What a blessing to have the Lord to help us through, giving grace and strength for each day.

  15. Thanks God for all these living testimony that help me to continu to trust in the lord Jesus. I can understand that what i’m living it’s so small facing others live. Many thanks for all your testimony that make me a woman of faith.
    I’m sorry for my English i speak and read french, and i’m just learning englich for the moment.
    Je sui très contente d’être connectée à ce site qui est une source de bénédiction pour moi. Je comprend sans difficulté ce que vous écrivez. Mon anglais est en pleine construction.
    May God Bless you all people.

    Prislaine

  16. How timely this is!!! Just this morning I was telling Jesus how I didn’t think I could go on any more….too tired!!! Work lots of overtime to make ends meet and then try to make home and time with kids and stretch money to pay bills. Too hard, so less-than!! Thank you for gentle reminder to hope in a Big God!!

  17. “God does not promise a pain-free life, He does not promise an easy life. He promises He will be with us and to give us strength.” I think this is something so many people get wrong. So many people that when we serve God our lives are easy. As we know from many examples in the Word, this is NOT the case. I loved this reminder that He WILL be with us. He WILL give us strength! So many times I need this reminder!

    http://www.littlelightonahill.com

  18. Jenn,

    Thank you for sharing a touching testimony of how God helped you through a rough time. Over the past few years I have had to lean hard on God and prayer. My dad moved into assisted living and had multiple medical issues. His dementia worsened and it took a toll on me and my job. I ended up quitting my job last June 30. Within two week my dad was put on hospice. He seemed to get better for a while. Then he got really bad. After nineteen days in hospitals and a medicine change he was some better. After one month in rehab he was able to move into another assisted living. Through all this I have seen God perform a miracle. My dad can go outside and walk around. I can take him on short trips and his memory is much improved.

    God doesn’t promise us rose gardens. He does say He will be with us always through all trials! Each trial makes us stronger!!

    Blessings:)

  19. Thank you for posting this blog. I love receiving it in my inbox daily as I’m new to reading your stories. I am encouraged as I’m recovering from two surgeries and now going through another battle. I had to make a difficult choice for my health and I’m going through some challenging side effects as the medicine will hopefully remove the fibroids. Thanks for the encouragement!