When someone you love leaves this Earth. When your boyfriend breaks up with you. When friends keep leaving. When you are doing so much and you feel like you aren't moving ahead at all. When your car breaks down. When you don't know what you'll do after college. When you feel alone. When you fail a test. When you get rejected by your #1 and #2 school of choice. When there is no way out. When the stress of life, school, work, family, finances, and your love life gets to you day in and day out.

Turn to the one who hurts when you hurt, who cares for your situation, who will listen to all your complaining, who will fight for you, who will not let you grow weary, but will renew your strength with His strength.

Worn, yet polished

God has no desire for you to go through anything painful, spiritually or physically. He doesn't take pleasure in your depression, sadness, anger, pain, or loneliness. BUT (the best "but's" are found in His word btw), what if He has purpose for all of this in your life? What if He is shaping you to become the best, unique, worn yet polished version of the daughter or son He needs you to be. Maybe He needs you to be that warrior in Christ going through something just plain aggravating, stressful, sad, or depressing in order to be there for another one of His children who is going through something just plain aggravating, stressful, sad, or depressing. God loves for us to find comfort and relationship with Him, but He also puts certain people in our lives (people we pray for) that will also be there for comfort and relationship. The times I meet some of the best, life-changing people are mostly the times when I'm going through a struggle, and "coincidentally" they are going through the exact, same struggle. No joke, guys. God knows I do not do well being by myself at all, and lately I have realized He has given me a friend who absolutely hates that too. We are also going through the same (stressful and frustrating) season in life right now, and I couldn't thank God enough for this blessing in her friendship.

Even in the midst of all the crap

So, when it feels like God is not on your side, He actually is. God is cheering you on to lean on Him, give Him your burden, complain to Him, tell Him what's going on, and to pray for the comfort and relationships only He can bless you with in order to grow you spiritually. Honestly, God is going to grow you whether or not you do these things, but in order to witness all His blessings and spiritual growth in detail, up close and personal, these acts of pursuit towards Him need to be implemented in your relationship with the one who wrote your beautiful story for His glory.

God's glory and purpose will always shine through, even in midst of all the crap.