You will get through whatever difficulty you are facing right now. God has carried you through everything else in your life and His faithfulness will not cease in this season, even if you see no relief in sight. My heart especially goes out to those of you who have lost loved ones in recent months or years, because I know the holidays create longings for the past and intensify emotions of grief. To those of you enduring that kind of pain, I am truly sorry, and I want to encourage you to not lose hope. 

One of my favorite prophecies about Jesus is recorded in Isaiah 61, where it says that He came to bind up the brokenhearted and to comfort all who mourn. In fact, it was this description of Himself that our Savior read aloud in the synagogue when He began His earthly ministry. Of the many virtues with which He could have identified, the Lord of the Universe contained His deity in human flesh so He could become a comforter and counselor to human beings. 

I know it may be painful at this time, but the God of all comfort is with you and He is pouring His peace and presence into your life, even now. The baby who was born in a manger 2,000 years ago lives today to redeem every pain. Your tears are precious to Him and He is gathering them in a bottle until the day they are traded for eternal joy. Hold fast to your Living Hope in this wintertime and He will meet you in it with boundless love and compassion.