What Really Happened In 2019...
Hey everyone! So I don't think I properly introduced myself so I'm going to do that right now. My name is Joanna, I am 16 years old and I currently live in London. Around 3 months ago, I started this blog, I created, ran and managed 3 websites and I also started my very own podcast all because of my faith and love for my Lord Jesus Christ. Many of you are probably wondering why I am doing all this. And this is why. I believe that as a Christian who knows Jesus, it is our duty to tell others about Jesus and save more souls through his heavenly name. However my faith and love for my Heavenly Father did not become this strong overnight and I have endured many hardships, especially in the year of 2019. As we celebrate 100 blog views and 100 more people knowing and hearing about Jesus, I am going to tell you my story and how Jesus saved me. Most importantly however, I am going to talk to you all about how he can save you too.
2019 wasn’t an easy year for me and was by far one of my lowest years as I went through some tough times and challenges due to various health problems, especially at the start of the year. Stating that these times were challenging is an understatement by far. I couldn't sleep without taking strong steroid medication. I couldn't eat anything without having something happen to me. I was a drained zombie walking around lifeless most of the day.... But now, writing this post before you all and the almighty god I have realised that god has given me the strength and the faith to overcome the challenges I faced and I became stronger every day and I praise god for that for it’s the power of Jesus Christ that got me through my difficulties. He is the reason why I am where I am today. Healthy, happy and free - free from all the pain and suffering I endured.
It is very easy to question our faith in God when things go wrong. I know I did. Despite the fact that we all know as Christians that we are supposed to "give thanks in all things" and look to the Lord for our daily needs – when going through devastating experiences it can be very difficult to be thankful and trust God at a times, but I am going to share with you why it is so important that we trust God more than every during these times.
Firstly we should note that God hasn’t promised us a life in this world without trials, temptations and distraught. This conception or idea is something that many Christians get wrong and then when going through troubled times may unintentionally look to God to blame. We must all remember that when life seems full of pain, we need to remember what Paul said to Timothy about “enduring hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 3. This verse reminds us that we live in a fallen world but most importantly conveys a message that we can all use. And that is tough times do not reflect God’s genuine love or power. Neither does it imply that we have sinned against God. In fact it simply means that the world isn’t what it’s supposed to be.
Lets take a look at Genesis chapter 3. This chapter tells us all about mankind’s fall from grace. This fall contorted the original design of God’s creation in many ways. It separated us from our Creator and our true nature. It caused us to rebel against Him and engage in denial and self-deception. It affected our physical bodies, bringing sickness and death into the world. It threw a wrench into our relationships with one another. It introduced pain and suffering into our lives. Because of this - the world that we live in is not how God had intended it to be.
But the Good News is that the Lord is not happy to leave us there. This is the second point that we should pay attention to. Our Father in Heaven has a plan to fix the brokenness of the world and heal the pain in our personal lives. He loved us enough to send Jesus Christ, His only Son (John 3:16), to reverse the effects of the fall. And so Jesus Christ came to fix our relationship with God, each other and restore our true nature.
Of course, the Bible never gives us any reason to suppose that these changes are going to take place overnight. On the contrary, it states very clearly that while we live in the flesh, we can expect to experience “groanings” within ourselves as we look forward to the final “redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). Ultimately, a day is coming when there will be no more sickness, pain, or death, and when He will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). Meanwhile, there’s nothing wrong with being honest about our pain and frustration. And that verse is what touched me and brought hope to me in dark times and I hope that this verse will bring comfort to each and every one of us when we struggle :
The men and women of the Bible certainly understood this.
David poured out his heart to God in the Psalms.
Job expressed deep anguish in the midst of incredible grief and suffering.
Hannah complained loudly about her childlessness.
The last point that I want to bring attention to is that If you’re hurting, the Lord doesn’t expect you to cover it up with a fake smile. Tell Him what you’re really thinking and feeling. Not only has he promised to never to leave you or forsake you, but he also promises to make you strong and firm steadfast through your suffering as 1 Peter 5:10 boldly quotes. He hears your prayers even in the dark times, when he seems absent and silent. So I hope that God will bring many joyous and happy times in the years to come – but when we go through tough times like the coronavirus pandemic we are still experiencing that has destroyed many many lives........ ALWAYS remember that God is with you and he will never forsake you.
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