S8.11 | Finding Hope in Struggle: 5 Verses to Encourage You in Your Darkest Times
Carla shares God's assurance and encouragement for those going through struggles. Through the exploration of five biblical verses, Carla offers hope and guidance for those facing various challenges, reminding listeners that they are not alone in their struggles.
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Key Takeaways
2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
Carla discusses the importance of not losing heart during struggles, emphasizing that despite outward challenges, internal renewal is taking place and that our present troubles are achieving eternal glory.Shift from Motivation to Discipline:
Psalm 99
Exploring the concept of God as a refuge for the oppressed, Carla reminds listeners that in times of distress, turning to God provides safety, shelter, and defense.
Isaiah 41:10:
Carla shares the promise of God's presence and assistance in times of trouble, offering strength, help, and upholding through adversity.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Addressing the idea of being pressed on every side, perplexed, and persecuted, Carla emphasizes the promise of not being destroyed, encouraging listeners to hold onto their faith and endurance during hardships.
Psalm 23:4:
Carla shares the comforting imagery of God's rod and staff, guiding and defending individuals through their struggles, ultimately instilling trust and confidence in God's care.
Connect With Carla:
Inquire about 1:1 coaching ---> carlaagreswellness@gmail.com
Renewing Hope Course —-> https://www.carlaarges.com/renewing-hope
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Check out the blog
Resources:
5 Steps to Building Resiliency
Affirming Truths Facebook Community
5 Tips for Overcoming a Negative Body Image
Who You Say I Am Biblical Affirmation Cards
TRANSCRIPT
Carla Arges [00:00:08]:
Hey friends, welcome to affirming truth. I'm your friend and host, Carla Arges. This show is a safe place to share our struggles, grow in faith and root our identity in Christ.
Carla Arges [00:00:20]:
My hope is that you will leave.
Carla Arges [00:00:22]:
Each episode feeling encouraged in your journey. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.
Carla Arges [00:00:27]:
And it would mean the world to me if you would leave a review.
Carla Arges [00:00:30]:
I am so glad you're here. Let's get started.
Carla Arges [00:00:36]:
Hello friends. Happy Monday. Welcome to this episode of Affirming Truth. I am your friend and your host, Carla Arges. And today I want to give you hope in the midst of your struggle. Today I want to give you God's assurance in the midst of your struggle, and I'm going to share with you today and talk you through five verses that you can cling to when you're struggling. Some of these may be familiar to you, some of these may not be, some of them you may not have heard in this context, but we are going to be encouraged by the spirit today. Are you with me? Amen.
Carla Arges [00:01:21]:
Amen. The first verse I want you to look at when we're struggling, when you are questioning where is God? When the mountain in front of you seems too big to climb, when there's wilderness and drought and you're wondering where that living water is. I want you to remember these verses, and we're starting with Paul. In two Corinthians 416 to 18, it says, therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs them all. So if we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal, this is the word for us today, and I want you to notice that God is telling us through Paul to not lose heart in the midst of the struggle, where you feel like you are wasting away, when you feel like you can't take another step, when you feel like it is too much, God is using that inwardly to renew you day by day. As you lean into Christ in your struggle, he is using the struggle to refine you, to make you more like Jesus, to give you perseverance and endurance, to run the race before you, your struggle is not for nothing. God uses it.
Carla Arges [00:03:10]:
I also want you to understand that as hard as our struggle may be, whether it's illness, whether it's been crushing trauma, whether it's been evil done against you, that you can't even put into words whether it's marital strife, whether it's financial struggle, whatever that struggle is, hall is bringing to remembrance that it is actually light and momentary. And I know it may not feel light and it may not feel momentary, but this is where we have to look beyond our feelings and look to the truth that this is light and momentary. And what is achieving for us is eternal glory. That as we persevere in faith through this struggle, we are going to get an eternal reward that outweighs and outmeasures anything that we are going through right now. It is so easy when we're struggling to fix our eyes on the struggle, to be overwhelmed by the circumstance, to be like Peter when he's walking in the water and get overcome by the waves. But we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus. What we see is temporary. Our struggle, friend, is temporary.
Carla Arges [00:04:39]:
But what is unseen, what is working out for your good in the heavenlies, is eternal. There will be a day where there will be no more tears and no more pain, and you will feel the joy and the fullness of restoration come to fruition when we are met with God in glory. This is temporary, and it's so important that we remain with an eternal perspective when we are going through the struggle. This too shall pass. It may not feel like it, it may pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass because it is momentary, it is temporary. It does not define your future. Your future has been defined by what Christ did at the cross and you accepting him as your lord and savior. Do not lose heart.
Carla Arges [00:05:40]:
Your struggle is temporary. It is momentary. It is working out in you a perseverance and endurance, and it is going to be crowned with glory when you meet Jesus, therefore, do not lose heart. I want to take you next to Psalm 99. It says, the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. A stronghold is a defensive structure. It is where people would go to be safe from attack. It would be like a fortress.
Carla Arges [00:06:20]:
A refuge is a shelter from danger. The Lord has promised us that in our time of distress, we can go to him. And he is our defense, he is our safety, he is our shelter, he is our fortress, he is our covering and our protection. We can go to God. Sometimes in our struggle, sometimes in our pain, we can turn away from God. Let's be honest. Sometimes we get angry with God, like, God, why are you allowing this to happen? God, why is this happening again? God, why aren't you removing this from me? And so often we can allow those questions and that disappointment and that despair to take us away from God, away from our defense and protection. Friend, I want to encourage you today to run to the one who is safe, to take your struggle and pain and go to your fortress.
Carla Arges [00:07:28]:
The Lord is your refuge, he is your stronghold. He is your safety in the storm. Isaiah 41 ten tells us so. Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Guys, Jesus does not promise to remove the struggle from us.
Carla Arges [00:08:02]:
Jesus does not promise to come down and pluck us up and take away the pain on this side of heaven. But he does promise that he will be with us. He does promise that he will give us the strength and endurance to endure. He does promise to help us. He does promise to uphold us. It's like that beautiful poem, footprints. In my hardest time, I only saw one set of footprints. That is when Jesus is carrying you.
Carla Arges [00:08:37]:
You are not walking through your struggle alone. You do not have to fear. You are covered by the blood. Now, that does not mean no earthly struggle, but that does mean eternal protection. Do not fear. What can man do to you? Whom should you fear for God is for you and with you. Two Corinthians four, eight to nine says, we are pressed on every side, but not crushed. Perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed.
Carla Arges [00:09:27]:
You may feel mentally, spiritually, physically, that you have gone through a battle, that you have been pressed, that you have been persecuted, that you have been struck down. But, friend, you are promised to not be destroyed. And I want to even call out this part. In the scripture, it says, perplexed, but not in despair. Maybe you're perplexed about why God is allowing you to be in this situation. You may be perplexed how God could allow certain things to happen, but this call is to not be in despair. You may wonder why. You may be confused.
Carla Arges [00:10:11]:
You may wrestle with God, but you do not have to be in despair. Because even in your questioning, God is with you. Even in your wondering, God is with you, even in your doubt, if you allow it. The Holy Spirit is building up your faith and is using the very situation that you're struggling with to build your faith. Faith is not tested in good times. Faith is not grown in good times. It is grown when we are under the pressure. It is grown during struggle.
Carla Arges [00:10:48]:
If you do any type of exercise, any type of workout, you will know that muscle does not grow when we don't challenge it. We have to stretch it. We have to break down the muscle fibers in order for it to become stronger. That is not just true with our physical muscles, but that is true with our faith muscle as well. You may be persecuted, you may be struck down. But, friend, by God's grace, you have new mercies every day where you can get up and face the day and face the struggle. Because you are not doing it in your strength. You are doing it through the strength of Christ, who is empowering you by his holy spirit struck down.
Carla Arges [00:11:36]:
But you are not destroyed. No weapon formed against you will ultimately prosper. The battle is won. The victory is Christ. And through him you have the victory as well. Psalm 23 four. We all love Psalm 23, right? Even though, even though I walk through the fat valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me.
Carla Arges [00:12:11]:
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. The shepherd's staff was used to keep the sheep on the right path. God's staff towards us is keeping us in his will that even when we are in struggle, that we can trust the staff of our savior to keep us in his will as we are surrendered and submitted to him. The shepherd's rod was used to defend the sheep from predators. You have a defense in Christ. Our good shepherd is here to lead you and guide you and defend you. Even though you are walking through the valley right now. Even though you are in the shadow of death, you are not in death itself.
Carla Arges [00:12:54]:
You will break free from that shadow. You will see the light. Because God is light and God is in you. Friend, you have a shepherd caring for you. You know his voice. You can trust his heart when you are struggling. I want you to go back to these verses. I want you to encourage your spirit.
Carla Arges [00:13:19]:
I want you to build up your faith. I want you to fix your eyes on the eternal and not the temporal. God is with you. God is using your struggle to work something beautiful out in you. You are never alone. You do not have to fear whatever struggle you're facing. You do not have to fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear.
Carla Arges [00:13:48]:
God has given us a spirit of love. God has given us a spirit of a sound mind. God has given us himself. We do not need to fear. My affirming truth for you today is I will trust God with my struggle, plain and simple. I will trust God with my struggle. And I don't have one anchoring verse for you today because all five of these verses are anchoring two. Corinthians 416 to eight, psalm 99, Isaiah 41, ten, two Corinthians four, eight to nine, and psalm 23, verse four.
Carla Arges [00:14:38]:
Those are your anchoring scriptures. I will trust God with my struggle. He will see me through to the other side. He will either calm the storm around me or calm me in the storm. By the presence and the power of his name. You can trust God with your struggle. I'll talk to you later. Friends.
Carla Arges [00:15:06]:
Thanks for joining me today. I hope we're already friends on social media, but if we're not, come find me on Instagram at Carla Arges or at affirming truth. Can't wait to see you back here next week. Bye, friends.