hanging on to hope

i feel like over the past week, i have experienced a lot of difficult times and have heard of so many friends who are feeling defeated at the moment. it's so easy for us to look at the hardships in life and ask "why am i going through this?" and while it sounds cliche to say that God has his reasons, it's so true.

i have to believe that God is in control or nothing in my life makes all that much sense. although it may be beyond my human capability to truly understand why we have to suffer through rough times, God is always in the driver's seat. he knows what we are going to face before we even turn down that road. he knows how we are going to handle it, and he gives us the people in our lives and our own strength through him to face everything with hope and faith.

i know that i have been promised these things. i know that i am going to go through rough times because suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope [romans 5:3-5]. God doesn't want me to go through life never having to experience hardships. rather, he uses our suffering to grow us into better people who have a stronger faith.

there is no way that i would be the woman i am today if i had not experienced some of the more trying times in my life. i've been through a lot in 26 years, and i can only expect to go through even more over the next 26. but through it all, i have a rock to stand on. through it all, i have a God who promises to keep me safe and comfort me at all times, as long as i turn to him and have hope, no matter how bad it may seem.