personal retreat

I took a short personal retreat on Monday, to think through what's going on in my life right now. Here's what I wrote.

I feel more alone now than I used to. What truth from God can help? God has said He will never leave me or forsake me. And God does not lie. God will always, always be with me, even if I can’t feel His presence. I’ve been through this before, why is it so hard this time? Because God is teaching me so much more this time. Yes, God is good. He is teaching me more of His faithfulness and love and mercy and grace and kindness and compassion. See, the harder a situation is to accept with my human mind, the bigger the lesson God is trying to teach me about Himself. If I will just accept this and trust God, He will help me through. God is always there for me!

After I wrote this, I read Psalm 40. It was so helpful. :)

I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. … As for You, O Lord, you will not restrain Your mercy from me; Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness will ever preserve me! … May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!
Psalm 40:1-5, 11, 16-17

My circumstances right now are still hard for me, but I believe that God will help me through. I just need to get my focus off of what's happening and back onto the Lord.