If you’re struggling, this one’s for you.
It’s for the ones who are hanging on.
The ones who, given enough silence and space, would certainly fall apart.
The ones who are holding onto distraction like a life preserver in order not to face the turmoil inside of them.

It’s for more people than you’d think. Everyone carries burdens – even those that don’t wear them on their sleeves. Why? Because we live in a broken world that groans for restoration. (Romans 8:22-23) 

And if it’s for you, then may you embrace this truth: Your Shepherd sees you.  

YOUR SHEPHERD SEES YOU.

I’m not sure how that falls on your ears. If you’re like me, then your mind is quick to accept it and move on. Mental assent…check. Even agreement. But does it resonate? Does it change anything in your spirit?

In Scripture, we see an Egyptian servant named Hagar claim this truth. In a desperate situation with literally nowhere to go, the angel of the LORD found her. In the most vulnerable place, God rushed in with hope. He gave her a glimpse of the way He would continue to lead and provide for her – even in her pain. And in response to His care, Hagar addressed him as “El Roi” – the God who sees.  (Genesis 16)

I think the goodness of God’s seeing us isn’t just that He knows the extent of our condition or the impact made by our circumstances. It’s that He knows our deepest needs and actually moves toward us in compassion and intention to act in our best interest.  

What good is a shepherd who sees one of his sheep in danger and does nothing? A good shepherd sees and acts. His sheep find comfort in his presence and attention because they’ve learned by experience to trust that He will not only watch over them but preserve and care for them. Christ is truly our Good Shepherd. (John 10) While His actions don’t always bring about a change in circumstances, we can absolutely trust them to accomplish His good purposes for us. (Jeremiah 29:11, Job 23:10, Psalm 33:11)

Do you believe that God actually sees you, and that He really has compassion on you? Do you believe He really does care? Deeper still, do you believe He will faithfully meet your deepest needs? Do you believe He is moving toward you to care for you?

In seasons of suffering, we desperately need these reminders over and over, like truth washing over us in waves. When the tide goes out and takes with it our façade of strength and strips away all our defenses, God faithfully refills the exposed spaces with His truth and grace.  

He really is present with you. He really does dwell with you. He really is working in and through you. He really is shepherding you with a purpose, even though He occasionally leads you through shadows.

Your Shepherd Transforms You. 

When suffering knocks at our door, it’s so easy to strain toward relief from the discomfort. Every native instinct screams, “This isn’t right!” We want to hit the accelerator and get out of there as quickly as possible. But shedding the discomfort can also forfeit something hidden and valuable beyond measure.

Discomfort is the very condition where transformation of the heart takes place. Forging of our faith leaves us stronger than before. God’s track record of faithfulness in our lives is lengthened. Our trust in Him grows deeper. Suffering provides new vantage points to behold His character. It unlocks new territory to journey with Him and creates a deeper bond with Him than we ever dreamed possible.

But those processes can only be performed by the Lord in a malleable heart. Our invitation is to lean in and stay open-hearted and moldable. (James 1:12)

Struggling believer, take heart. In your season of being worlds from “OK”, God is taking painful circumstances and distilling something very precious from them. What our enemy intends for evil, He can and will reclaim for good. Seasons of suffering offer us the gift of deeper sensitivity to God’s presence and movement.

It’s going to be ok, not primarily because “this too shall pass”, but because you have a faithful shepherd who has promised you His presence in and out of storms. He prepares a table for you right in front of your enemies. (Psalm 23)

And it’s actually ok because He’s there.

““Jesus, You promised
Those You’ve been given
You’ll keep a hold of
With no conditions
Here in this desert
Is my oasis
A table prepared
A feast of Your faithfulness””

— Bethany Barnard, "Feast of Your Faithfulness"

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Suggested Resources

A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23

Pain To Purpose Devotional

All My Questions

ALAINA ROBERTS | ADMIN. ASSISTANT
WORSHIP MINISTRY

Alaina Roberts is the Administrative Assistant for FBC’s Worship Ministry. She is passionate about the importance of speaking truth, and she loves expressing that through worship leading and writing. She’s happiest when taking adventures with her husband Josh, or when she has a cup of light roast coffee in hand. (Real mug, preferably.)

It’s hard to imagine a more fitting example of “the domino effect” than COVID-19. It’s touched virtually every part of our lives, and yet we’re still learning more of its residual effects on a daily basis. Unemployment, labor shortage, shifting supply and demand, mass migrations to digital platforms and back, ever-evolving education policies, social mandates, vaccination discussions, ethical dilemmas, and political responses have each affected us at some level. And for many, the pandemic has left deeper marks - endangering or even taking the lives of loved ones. The cause-and-effect relationships formed by a pandemic are far more than biological - they’re personal, economical, emotional, relational, and spiritual.

There was a time when the collective lament, “When will things return to normal?” flavored most conversations. Since then, dynamics have changed on both organizational and personal levels. Restrictions have fluctuated. Some families have taken a collective sigh of relief as a degree of “normalcy” has been restored to them. Other families are still reeling from permanently altered careers, the loss of a loved one, or grief over how things “used to be”. Still others lie somewhere in between - relaxing into some pre-COVID rhythms and re-learning what it’s like to watch a movie in a theatre, while at the same time wrestling with a growing awareness that, for many reasons, our world is still very much not okay.

We’re humanly wired to find physiological equilibrium. Our bodies were designed to maintain consistent temperatures, blood pressures, and hydration levels. The term “homeostasis” borrows Greek root words meaning “similar to” + “standing still.” Essentially, in order to sustain life, we need biological consistency that’s sustained. When things are off-balance, we feel the effects.

Don’t we see this trend bleed into our spiritual lives as well? Our default practice is to find stability IN THE NORM, not out of it. When our lives are shaken up, our souls feel the effects. And we know deep down that we need to return to a posture of stability. Our hearts need to return to the places where they can stand still, calm and sure. Over the past two years, our world has been shaken. It’s easy to imagine the cumulative cry for “homeostasis” that’s risen up from every corner of the earth.

Here’s the breakdown. We think that our restored stability - that factor that will once again still our souls - will be carried by situational homeostasis:

“When the restrictions loosen, we can get on with our lives.” 

“When the vaccine achieves herd immunity, we can finally put this behind us.”

Or, 

“As long as we can somehow preserve medical autonomy, our kids will be ok.” 

“When the economy turns around, we can pick up where we left off.” 

“I’m just waiting for the day when mask mandates are a thing of the past.”

We long for every form of “normalcy” to be restored, each one loudly advertising to us the return of comfortable routines, personal freedoms, and unhindered preferences. And while we would gladly slip into those luxuries of old, like a favorite sweater, we need to ask ourselves if we’re trusting in the return of “normalcy” more than we’re trusting in God to provide our deepest sense of stability.

God reminds us with:
His Word,
His flawless track record of faithfulness,
His indwelling Spirit,
The strong testimony of His church,
And His steadfast promises,
that He is singularly able to place His hands on our lives and restore stillness and peace to our shaken souls, regardless of our situation. He wants to be our stability both IN the “norm” and outside of it.

We need not place our wellbeing in the hands of circumstance instead of the Savior. 

In every moment of circumstantial chaos, we are offered the same possibility of steadfast, sustained stability of soul and spirit, no matter whether our situation looks seemingly “normal” or nowhere near it. Why? Because we don’t need homeostatic circumstances to thrive as believers. We need - and we have - an unchanging God.

How do we access that stability on a daily basis? We’re so grateful for this application from Pastor Blodgett’s message on Psalm 46:

As you evaluate where you are seeking stability in this season, our prayer is that these passages and lyrics draw your spiritual vision to the true refuge of our souls:

“Grander earth has quaked before
Moved by the sound of His voice
And seas that are shaken and stirred
Can be calmed and broken for my regard
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And through it all, through it all
It is well
And through it all, through it all
My eyes are on You
And it is well, with me”

“It Is Well”, Bethel Music

“Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
He is mine forever.”

Psalm 73:25-26 (NLT)

"God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable],
A very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change
And though the mountains be shaken and slip into the heart of the seas,
Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains tremble at its roaring.
Selah.”

Psalm 46:1-3 (AMP) 

“Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there is no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fails
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock is cut off from the fold
And there are no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord;
I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!
The Lord God is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];
He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet
And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].”

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (AMP)

For added reminders of the stability God has offered us in Himself, we’ve created a Spotify playlist surrounding this truth. We pray it is a blessing to you.