When You Are Going Through Hell, Don’t Stop

A few months ago, I had a dream I was in a vast field with hundreds of snakes. The world had no color. It was an awful shade of gray.
Good times.
However, there was only ONE thing I wanted to do in my dream.
Move forward.

I knew if I stood still, I would have zero chance of getting past that field of death. So, I didn’t even look down. I walked straight ahead, determined not to stop or give any attention to the very thing that could have taken me out at any moment. I kept walking. Focused on what was ahead.

And then suddenly, I was past the field, every snake was gone, and the color came back into the world once more.

Life is certainly not always easy.
Actually, it is very rarely easy.
But there are times it can feel like hell.
Or at least that’s the term we use when it gets unbearable. But if you stop there, you have no hope of moving past it.

However, it is so tempting to stop.

To stop praying.
To stop speaking words of life over you, your children, your spouse, or the situation.
To stop listening to words of encouragement or life-giving messages.
To stop trying.

After all, you are weary, and nothing seems to be working. But the truth is, YOU cannot walk through it alone. However, God’s grace will carry you through what feels like hell right now. And you WILL get past it if you don’t stop.
If you don’t give up.

Here are three simple changes you can make today to move you from despair to determination to freedom.

1. Find the right person to walk beside you. Look for a truth teller, an encourager, and a soul you can trust.
2. Do not look to the right or the left. You will get discouraged and distracted, and despair will soon settle in. Look straight ahead and put one foot in front of the other.
3. Speak life. Your mind interprets spoken words literally, and as a result, your thoughts and behaviors will often align with the content of these words.

I have not only walked through it while I was asleep but while I was awake as well. And I can tell you that if you keep your eyes fixed on what is ahead and walk forward, one step at a time, the color WILL come back into your world once again.

Take heart; you are NOT alone.
You have someone who can easily guide you to the other side even when all hope seems lost. And you will be able to confidently say; His grace was truly enough.