When You Feel Like There’s No Way Out, Reach Out To God Through The Darkness

You feel exhausted. You’re barely making it through the days. You’re living, but it’s more to keep other people content. 

You couldn’t care less.

You’re heavyhearted. You can’t remember the last time you felt happy. You know, the over-the-rainbow, lip-smacking-sticky-skittles type happy. You’re lonely. You can’t remember the last time you felt a warm melt-the-skin-off-your-bones type connection.

 You’re damn friggin’ stressed.

You’re hanging onto your last thread. You’ve lost your loved ones. You’ve lost your job. You’ve lost your hope. You don’t want to see another empty quote. You don’t want to see another promise. You can’t sense hope. In fact, you don’t want to even feel it because hope puts energy into the future. You need hope now. Though you feel discouraged, hope and your life are already here. 

Hope is doing all you can with what you have. Hope is searching for the job. Hope is getting support for your depression, working on your recovery, and battling the negative self-talk. When you feel like you’ve made every human effort, when you feel like you’ve cooperated and co-created with God, look up and trust that he will do the rest.

That’s it.

There’s no need to worry. There’s no need to fight. There’s no more need to fear for the future. Your problems are enough for one day. Look up and, by faith, reach out to God through the darkness.

God isn’t like man, where he forgets or goes back on his promises. His promises are sure. He will not give you more than you can bear. He weighs every burden, not to be cruel, but because life doesn’t come without challenges. He equips you with everything you need to make it through them. You’re stronger than you think you are. You have more character than you think you do. You have more support than you think you do. You only need to see them. He will not forsake you. Find rest in the promises.

Though (you) may stumble, you will not fall, for the Lord upholds you with his hand. – Psalm 37:4

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. – Psalm 32:8

Though it feels like there’s no way out, there is another way. I know you might not have a job, I know you need more money, I know you’re hardly making it, but there is another way. A way where you meet the right people at the right time, a way where persistence pays off, a way where opportunities come to you.

By faith, reach out to God through the darkness. This is how you get there. Remember the giggles and slobber of a baby. Feel the crisp mountain air on your cheek surrounded by the tower of evergreens. Think of every good thing. It will take concentration, but it’s worth it. We don’t value the good moments until they’re gone. Reach through the darkness into the light. Expand that energy through the day and into tomorrow. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes by mourning and morning.

Then when all is said and done, you rest. Rest your body and rest your mind. You’ve made it this far. You’ve already made it through trails you thought were the darkest. You’ve already made it through other side.

Yes, but you don’t know what I’ve been through. You don’t know what life has done to me. You don’t know how damaged I now am because of it. You don’t know the demons I face. You don’t know the addiction I battle. You don’t know my heartbreak.

I believe you. I acknowledge you. I hold you.

You’ve made it through. It doesn’t matter how you got here. You’re a warrior. You have survived by any means necessary. You’ll do it again, and you’ll do it better. You’ll do it again, and you’ll do it wealthier. You’ll do it again, and you’ll do it healthier. You’ll do it again, and you’ll do it happier. You’ll do it again, and you’ll do it with more compassion. You’ll do it until you’ve built the muscle that leaves you with no other outcome than to thrive. Victory is on the other side.

What is victory? True victory is not what you think. True victory isn’t money. True victory isn’t a home, a relationship, or family. Victory is peace. Victory is peace despite any storm. True victory is laying your head down at night without fluttering in your stomach and thudding in your head. Victory is the slow burn of happiness that may temporarily burn a little less, but its flames never go out.

There’s always a way. And when you can’t see it, when you feel like there’s no way out, by faith, reach out to God through the darkness.