Some seasons of life feel heavier than we expected. Transitions, loss, depression, disappointment—sometimes they arrive all at once. In those moments, it’s easy to believe we’re alone in the struggle. But God gives a powerful promise in Isaiah 43:2: when we walk through deep waters and fiery trials, He will be with us. Key Scripture “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” — Isaiah 43:2 Highlights Difficult seasons do not mean God is absent; He promises to walk with us through them Jesus invites the weary to come to Him for rest and relief (Matthew 11:28–30) God is close to the brokenhearted and rescues the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18) The Lord often works through community, counselors, teachers, and friends to provide support Every tear, sorrow, and struggle is seen and remembered by God (Psalm 56:8) This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: You Are Not Alone By Lauren Fletcher Bible Reading: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” - Isaiah 43:2 When I was in college, I went through an unexpected season of loss in my second year. It was a year of transition for me. Many of my upperclassman friends had graduated; I had a new roommate, and I had just finished my first job at a summer camp. I had met many close friends there, and it was hard to leave. Depression hit, and I wasn’t ready for it. It scared me, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I tried my best to manage my emotions while balancing school and living on my own. Things snowballed, and when I started struggling in my classes, I felt a sense of hopelessness, not enthusiasm, for the future. I had a teacher whom I constantly let down, in my own eyes, by being late to her class. One of our assignments was a behavior change project, in which we had to identify areas we wanted to change. Of course, I chose tardiness. As I was very transparent in my project, she saw that I needed help. My lateness stemmed from this depression. She suggested counseling. This changed my trajectory. It was hard to feel like I had to figure things out on my own while I was away at school. I put all of this responsibility upon myself because I felt like that was what I was supposed to do as an adult. If I were to talk to myself now, looking back, I would share this verse from Matthew: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light’” (Matthew 11:28-30). We all face difficult times, and when we do, we need help. We can’t do it on our own. I was ashamed of my depression and tried to hide it, but what I should have done was reach out to those around me. I look back on this season many times and still feel the sting of how hard things were. I don’t always see where God was in that time, but I know He was always there. I was never alone, despite my feelings. Intersecting Faith & Life: When I reflect upon that time, I know that God was with me in my sorrow. I think of how the word 'compassion' means 'to suffer with.' Jesus set the example of what that is. When His friend, Lazarus, died, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). He experienced sorrow alongside Mary and Martha, who were grieving. God promises us in His Word that He will be with us when we are suffering. In Psalms, David says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18). Another way I know God was with me was through the help of those around me. During that time of depression, I wanted to help a member of my church. Though I tried, I was in way over my head. Both a friend and the local church stepped in and provided the help I wanted to give this woman. It blessed me so much that they would carry that burden with me. In Galatians, it says, “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (...
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Feb 22 20266 m