I must admit that some things that people say when you’re hurting can seem so cliche! When you’re hurting or going through something extremely challenging, the last thing you want to hear are things like, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” or “All things work together for your good” or “Trust God” or my favorite one, “Have faith.”
As a matter of fact, I was watching a show that I’ve come to enjoy, Teen Mom OG. Yes, I watch that show and yes I’m not afraid to admit it and yes I love it.
The show documents the lives of four women who were teen moms. Now these women who were once teen moms are all grown up with families, husbands, careers and the such.
Well one of the cast members, is Amber. One the season finale, Amber finds out that her fiancé had lied about communicating with another woman. Like any other woman, she is angry! She freaks out as she burst out in tears of hurt, pain and frustration. She has invested 3 years in this relationship so of course, she is beyond hurt and confused.
As she cries her eyes out in the car, one of the producers is holding her trying to calm her down. And out the producer mouths comes, “Well you know the saying, what doesn’t kill you doesn’t make you stronger.”
Amber replies, “F%& that saying!!!”
Girl, you would have thought I was watching the Golden State Warriors crush the Cleveland Cavaliers by the way I was shouting at my screen cheering Amber on as she said that!
Have you ever been in one of those situations where your life is pretty much falling apart and someone tells you some cliche nonsense that does nothing to help you with your pain, anger, despair or disappointment?
Yep, me too! I know you might want to slap them in those moments LOL but I’m hoping that you didn’t because truthfully they mean well, they just don’t know any better.
One of the common ones I’ve heard is “Have faith.”
“What do you mean ‘have faith?’ Do you not see all hell breaking lose in my life right now?” I would think.
I’ve learned to grow to have faith in God’s love for me which is what has helped me keep on keeping on in victory. But this morning I heard something from pastor Joseph Prince that might encourage you.
Having faith simply means to have a good opinion about God. The battle of faith is fought in your mind. So whether you need to have faith in yourself or in God to come through for you in whatever your situation may be, the key is to simply have a good opinion about yourself and have a good opinion about God. In essence, you are putting your confidence and faith in God’s goodness, power, love and wisdom.
I don’t know about you but when I look at God and my circumstances like this, it makes me feel just a little better on those days when those thoughts are bombarding me telling me lies, fear and worry.
So these are my words of encouragement to you. Have a good opinion about God by putting your confidence in His love, power, goodness, and wisdom. Have a good opinion about yourself and give yourself more credit girl! You are far more powerful than you think. It’s in those tough moments that you can feel so powerless but that’s a total lie. Call on God to help you from the realm of the supernatural to do something MIRACULOUS for you!
Btw – you are a lot closer than you think you are!
XOXO,
Maria I. Melendez
Founder & CEO
Embrace Her Legacy
@embraceherlegacy