I recently had a week that was one of those difficult stretches that felt like too much to bear. I don’t need to go into the specifics—those close to me and those who have been praying for me already know what I’ve been facing. But I wanted to share something with you. As a believer, I’ve learned that even in our darkest moments, there’s something powerful about being open, vulnerable, and transparent. So today, I’m sharing what God taught me during a tough season, hoping it might help someone who’s walking through their own struggles.
I’ve been a Christian for years, but the truth is, believers still go through hard times. Sometimes, it feels like everything is out of our control, and in those moments, it’s easy to forget where our help comes from. It was Friday morning, after a week of heavy emotions, that I stepped outside onto my back porch with my coffee and journal. It had been cooler, and the calm was a relief. Journaling has been such a tool for me—something I learned in therapy to help process my feelings. Even though I'm not always great at articulating what I feel, putting it on paper has helped me understand and work through the chaos in my mind.
As I sat there, I found peace—real, true peace. Despite the hurt that was still there, I recognized that God’s strength, and the strength of my friends and loved ones who prayed for me, was far greater than the weight of my emotions. There’s something about being prayed for by people who know the real you—your rawness, your pain—that helps break the chains of despair. The darkness tried to overtake me, but in that moment, God reminded me that He never leaves me, and I have a community of people who will fight for me in prayer.
As I flipped through my journal, I paused on entries from the past that spoke about sitting in stillness with God. It’s something I had learned to do, especially during hard times. Sometimes, you can’t rush through pain; you need to sit with it, feel it fully, and trust that God is with you in it. God wants me to feel what I need to feel—to grieve the things that matter to me. And then, in the stillness of His presence, I can find peace.
It was in this moment that a song from my worship playlist played: Reckless Love. The lyrics spoke right to my heart:
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine. And I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
God’s love never stops chasing us, even when we feel undeserving. And it’s in these moments of weakness, where the darkness feels overwhelming, that His light shines the brightest.
For those of us who battle anxiety, depression, or just the overwhelming weight of life, there’s often a fear of burdening others with our pain. But I’ve learned that the healing process begins when we open up, even just to one person, to let them in on what we’re going through. I’m so thankful for my best friend—someone who knows me deeply and has prayed me out of dark places more times than I can count. I don’t have to pretend to be strong. I can be vulnerable, and I know she’ll pray me through it.
So here’s my encouragement for you: You don’t have to walk through your pain alone. God has placed people in your life—people who will love you through the mess, pray you out of the darkness, and remind you that you are not alone. Years ago, a situation like that week’s struggle would’ve taken me down a deep rabbit hole for months. But as I continue my walk with God, I’ve found that the seasons of darkness are less frequent, and they don’t last as long.
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT)
God doesn’t want us to stay stuck in the darkness. He’s provided resources and people to help us work through the trauma, shame, and battles that the enemy uses to pull us down. I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s a process every time. But I know, without a doubt, that God is faithful, and His love will always chase me down.
In the Old Testament, when God did something miraculous, people would set up a memorial to remember what He had done. It’s important to look back at those moments when God met us in our deepest pain, so we can remind ourselves—and others—that He’s always there, bringing us through.
If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or any heavy emotions, don’t suffer in silence. It’s okay to feel your feelings, but don’t stay there. Find someone you trust, share what’s going on in your heart and mind, and allow them to pray for you. You may need to sit in your pain for a day or two, but remember: you don’t have to stay there. God’s love is chasing you. His light will always find a way through the darkness.
You are not alone. God sees you. He knows your heart. He created you for a purpose, and He’s with you every step of the way.
If you’ve been struggling with your own season of darkness, I encourage you to reach out. Share this post with someone who might need to hear that they’re not alone. And if you’re able, take a moment today to sit in stillness, pray, and allow God’s peace to wash over you.
© 2024 Jill Cook. All rights reserved.
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