“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.” Psalm 25:1 (NIV)

Experience is the greatest of all teachers: children learn to leave the stove alone after burning their fingers. But unfortunately, sometimes we learn false lessons. We learn about a person, and think that lesson is about people. Or we internalize a life lesson that wasn’t about us at all, based on beliefs we’ve already developed about ourselves or others.

At one time, I thought I had a solid relationship with God and knew his plan for my life. And then the world shifted under my feet, and when I looked up, I didn’t recognize anything in front of me. Everything had changed. There were no certainties.

When I reflect on how God allowed my life to be leveled, like a mobile home in a tornado, I realize that it was ultimately an act of love. He knew that for me to begin making vital changes in my attitudes and in my depth of faith, I would have to endure hardship.

At the lowest point I questioned his love and his wisdom. I questioned his very existence. There was a long road of heartache and struggle stretching ahead for me. But God was already at work to provide for all my needs. He was at work even when I doubted him the most.

Now I have these rich experiences of God’s tender presence and faithfulness to look back on as he rebuilt my life in the wake of devastation. Now I know that whatever comes, I can trust him.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3

Every little girl dreams of meeting her Prince Charming. The thought occupies a ridiculous amount of time and energy. But I’m reminded of a quote by Logan P. Smith: “There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want, and after that to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second.”

Cinderella and Snow White may have lived happily ever after, but the rest of us live in the real world. We don’t meet handsome men who ride white horses and solve all our problems in a daring swordfight.

We fall in love with real men who may be handsome, but possess as many issues as we do. We don’t ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. We learn how to understand and appreciate one another as we grow and heal together, and as we face life’s challenges together.

No matter where you are in life, there’s something to pin your hopes and dreams on. I know a woman who yearned to adopt a child only to laugh later about “buyer’s remorse.” The only one who can fulfill us is Christ. The only one who can meet our emotional needs is Christ. Anything that becomes a “god” in our lives is going to let us down.

Our husbands, our children, our jobs—they are all gifts from God. If we set them up as gods in our lives, we’re setting ourselves up for trouble!

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God...” Romans 8:28 NLT

A long, dry walk in the heat of summer gives you new appreciation for a cool drink of water. Without knowing what it feels like to be parched, we wouldn’t value the sensation of being refreshed. What we have at our disposal every day, we take for granted.

Maybe God allows us to know hardship and want so that when the blessings come, we can see them for all that they are. And thank him for them.

When I woke up sick on Sunday morning, I was disappointed. But my husband and I bonded that day in a very special way because he chose to stay by my side. I gained new appreciation for Ben as he cared for me with tender thoughtfulness.

If God had given me the choice to spend the day healthy or sick in bed, my choice would be obvious. And if it hadn’t been for everything I experienced in the years leading up to this time in my life, I wouldn’t appreciate my husband’s attentiveness as I do. This is new for me. That’s what makes it so precious.

God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes he allows us to experience the very things we would bypass if given the choice. When we find ourselves in tough times, we need to remember that God is at work in many different ways to mold and shape us into the image of his son. Perhaps we can’t truly know gratitude until we have first known deprivation.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor; If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." Ecclesiastes 9:9-10 NIV

We often take pride in being able to handle our problems without outside help. When we carry our burdens alone, we feel self-sufficient and strong. But it depends on the load how wise it is to try to manage on our own. Too much weight on the shoulders bends the spine.

Almost every heavy burden is lighter when the weight is shared with a friend. God placed people in our lives so that we could encourage, strengthen, and uplift one another. When we invite someone to walk the road of hardship or suffering with us, hand in hand, both parties are blessed. But when we walk alone, there's no one to help us up when we fall down.

God made us to be in community with one another; in relationship with him and with other believers. Sometimes we're blessed with parents, best friends, or spouses who can be our support system when the need arises. They help us achieve what we never could on our own.

Today, celebrate the special friendships that God has brought into your life. Thank those who are always there to help you get back on your feet when you stumble and fall. And if you are trying to carry the load alone, look around for someone who can help you share the weight. God is always available, but he often uses people to be his voice and hands. Don't be too proud (or too ashamed) to ask for help. "Two are better than one."

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world any longer, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2 NIV

It's not a new problem. Every generation has faced it on some level or another. How do we live in our culture without allowing it to influence our thoughts and behaviors to be contrary to the Word of God?

We can't escape the messages that are sent to us every day through the various forms of media or through the people that we live and work with. Satan has successfully worked to erode the Christian principles that were once foundational to our country. On every side we are assualted by sexuality, materialism and greed, and the philosophy of pursuing personal pleasure at all costs.

The only way to counteract this influence is to be grounded in the truth. If you know the truth, you can easily recognize the false ideas that are trying to creep into your thinking. Spending time in prayer and in reading the Bible are the keys to spiritual transformation. Willpower is not enough. There needs to be a personal invitation for the Holy Spirit to renew your mind daily.

Jesus spoke to each of these philosophies: "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart," (Matt. 5:28); "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Matt. 6:19-20); "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matt. 10:38-39).

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." II Cor. 1:3-4 NIV

No one understands where you are in life like someone who's been there before. When it seems you're all alone struggling through your trials, it's amazing how much comfort it brings just to hear someone say, "I understand. I've been there." It doesn't really change anything, but somehow it helps.

When we find ourselves in pits of deep emotion, whether grief or fear or heartache, we can always turn to God for solace. He is "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." He is pleased to wrap his arms around us, listen to our story, and hold us while we cry. He finds joy in wiping away our tears and giving us strength to face another day.

God comforts us because he loves us, but also "so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves received from God." The moment will come when you will be able to say, "I know just how you feel. And God pulled me through."

The struggles we face have the potential to make us stronger and wiser, but they can also prepare us to be the arms of God holding someone else in need.