CHRISTIE MICHAUD BLOG

You don’t hear much about suffering. It’s painful, not pretty, and to be avoided at all costs. And when you’re past it, you don’t want to be reminded of it for fear it will return. Somewhere along the way, we've developed a misconception that the Christian life is all roses and butterflies (devoid of suffering), and if this is not your experience, then you must be doing something wrong, or maybe, you’re not even a part of the family. Thankfully, we have Job, Paul, and Stephen

If you're still breathing, then you've made it through hard things. Take a moment and remember what you've made it through. Maybe this hard thing seems bigger than any you've gone through before. No matter what, you have made it through hard things, therefore, you can do hard things.

What if the “get up” Jesus is speaking of is to “pick up your mat” and the faith produced from that action will lead to walking (more faith and becoming well)?

What if by dwelling on the hard, longing for the past, or wishing for or fearing the future, we are missing what he is doing in the present?

What struggle are you facing today? What emotions are you experiencing? Are you in need of direction? Consider praying through a Psalm and personalize it for you and your situation.

Disappointment occurs when expectations (of others or of ourselves) go unmet. In other words, we believe that ourselves, another person, a group of people, or an event should do or produce something specific and if it does not, disappointment results.