Yesterday, we learned that we can’t pick and choose our emotions and that in order to experience all of the good the Lord has for us, we must be willing to wade through the hard stuff, too. That said, we need to know up front that things probably will get worse before they get better. Most of us are inherently aware of this truth, and that’s why we remain stuck in patterns of dysfunction. Somehow, we know that going deep will be a process, and we feel like we don’t have the bandwidth to embark on the journey. However, if we’re grappling with these thoughts, the single most important thing we can do is put our trust in God. His mercies are new every morning, and He is able to sustain us, fill us with hope, and give us every resource we need to weather the storm. In fact, if we find ourselves bogged down in emotional pain, we can view it as a sign that we’re making progress. Just like we can’t clean out our garage without pulling things apart and piling them up, we can’t reach a place of healing without digging up old wounds and allowing ourselves to work through them. Even if doing this takes us right to the edge, it will be worth it in the end, because the mess will ultimately become part of our exceedingly and abundantly blessed.

My friend, when your soul is downcast and disturbed within you, remember to put your hope in your Savior. He is holding your hand on the journey to wholeness, and He is working behind the scenes to cause all of the pain to come together for your good. Because you are the apple of His eye, every tear you shed is precious to Him. There is no place you can go from His presence, and if you stumble because you can’t take another step, He will catch and carry you. As you fix your eyes on Jesus, He will bless your mess and redeem every point of pain and stress.