Living by Faith

"Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." ~Isaiah 40:28-31

Simple verses, yet so complex. Simple verses spoken so powerfully through the prophet Isaiah. Simple verses that can be more encouraging and comforting than one might initially realize.

A few years back, I experienced times so tough I never thought I'd be able to make it through...times so tough I thought I'd never be able to pick myself back up and continue pursuing the dreams I'd had since I was a young girl. Then one day, when I thought things could not get any worse, I received a phone call from my mom, encouraging me and reminding me to pray. She encouraged me to check my email since she had sent me something earlier that morning. Within her email she directed me to the above Bible passage, encouraging me to read it and always remember that God is with me no matter what I may experience in life.

Later that day, I found a note on my desk from my friend who knew everything I had been experiencing. She reminded me that God is always with me no matter what, and she encouraged me to keep pushing forward. She wrote out Isaiah 40:28-31 and encouraged me to reflect on those verses for comfort. As I read her note I began to tear up, realizing that twice in one day two separate people had shared with me the same comforting verses from Scripture. Just when I felt like I was hitting rock bottom, God had spoken to me through two of the closest people in my life...

Since that time, I have experienced my share of joys and struggles. Family and friends have always been there to comfort and encourage me, and I always think back to Isaiah 40 for continued comfort from the Lord. Whenever I experience joys or struggles of any kind, I think about how God truly has pulled me through quite a lot. Even through times when He seemed farthest away, I reflect back and see the amazing ways He was working in and through me.

Life is far from perfect. Living in sin, struggles are bound to strike. God truly is with me everyday, no matter what I encounter. I know there are times when it is hard to trust and understand why or how He works, but in the end it is amazing to look back and see the mysterious ways in which God works. Living by faith isn't always easy. Trusting in things unseen challenges our human limitations. God still loves and cares for us more than we could ever imagine and as I continue to pursue the dreams I have, I know He is always with me and even though I may be unsure about the future or what I am experiencing right now God is with me through it all. Isaiah 40 will always ring true:

"Even youths grow tired or weary and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." ~Isaiah 40:28-31