“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.” Jeremiah 29:11

Everyone goes through hardships in their lives at one point or another and often the first thing we do is ask God why. Why am I having to deal with this? What did I do to deserve this? There will always be times like this in our lives, but we must always remember that we are not alone. In difficult times, we have to remember that God always has a plan for us. Even when it feels like you're completely in the dark or that you’ve been forgotten, God does have a plan for us! While I don’t believe that God makes bad things happen to people, when we turn to God for support and guidance, we are often able to not only find our way through but find something meaningful in the experience or grow in a positive way. I have had plenty of times in my own life where it feels like everything is going wrong, when it seems like the homework is never ending and I just can’t get a break. Or when I’m just so exhausted from going from one thing to the next that I am barely able to get out of bed in the morning. It is times like these that it is most important to turn to God, not to blame Him for what is going on, but pray to Him to give you strength and teach you things you didn’t even know you needed, so that you can be filled by His knowledge and wisdom and carry those lessons with you forever. Never forget that God knows what your future holds and the battles you are fighting now will only make you stronger as long as you lean on God for His guidance.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, as we are all experiencing times of trouble in our lives please remind us that we are only getting stronger and that the struggles will come to an end. Remind us that we can get through anything with the help of You, and Your wisdom can teach us things that will last a lifetime. Remind us to take time for You every day and let us pour our hearts out to You. Help guide us in our everyday lives. Amen.