A bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not quench. Isaiah 42:3 ESV

I am discouraged. I am disappointed. I am weak and my faith feels so small. I feel like a bruised reed and faintly burning wick. My prayers seem to be left unanswered. My wilderness feels increasingly dry and barren. I’m sad. I’m lonely. And the things I’m praying for, searching for, hoping for, are completely out of my control. I am being “subjected to frustration, not by my own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it.” (Romans 8:20) It would not take much to break me, to snuff out my flickering flame. But I know that even in all of this, my God is working for my good and His glory, according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

There are times when God has to be the stern disciplinarian. We are human and we sin. Sometimes we refuse to repent and we stay in that sin and like any good father, God will dole out discipline and consequences. But there are other times, when the Bible says He will be gentle and kind. In those moments, He will not break us, He will not quench our flickering flame. He knows when we are hurting. He knows our struggles and He sees our tears. The Bible says “He keeps track of our sorrows, collects our tears in a bottle and records each one in His book.” (Psalm 56:8) He hears each desperate plea, every heartbreaking request. When we hurt, He hurts. Even though we don’t see an immediate response or get the answer we desire, we are not being ignored. We are being prepared. In these painful times of preparation, God pours out His mercy and compassion. He sends us loved ones to comfort and pray for us. He reminds us that we are not alone. He gives us His Word to guide, direct and encourage. But most of all, He gives us Himself. In His presence, there is unspeakable peace. In Him, there is strength for our time of weakness. In Him, there is a power so great, it can raise the dead. There is not a need I have that will exceed the boundaries of His power because His power is limitless. And it is that same power that is working in me, through me and for me. I am “precious in His eyes, and honored, and He loves me.” (Isaiah 43:4)

So, yes, at the end of the day, I’m still hurting. I’m still waiting. I’m still bruised and faintly burning. But I am also “loved with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3) I know even in this wilderness, I will find favor. In the meantime, “I will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1)

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”Isaiah 43:19 NLT