Your faith really hasn’t been tested until it’s all you have left to hold onto. You see what I’ve come to realise recently is that all the times I thought I had a lot of faith, I actually didn’t. We all say we have faith but you can never know how strong your faith is until you face challenges and encounter great trials. Your strength is hidden in your struggles. Most of us base our faith on what we see or what we think might happen according to the situation. However, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).

This year did not start how I wanted it to. In fact it was nothing I could ever imagine in a million years. Felt like my heart was literally being crushed into pieces. No amount of tears could put it back together. I began to question God which I’ve never done before. When I go to evangelise, people ask me “If God is a good God then why does he allow bad things to happen to good people?” This question kept playing over and over in my head as I saw my best friend in the whole world lay on a hospital bed, unable to speak or move. The more I heard her mum say “God knows best”, the angrier I got on the inside. Such things don’t just happen to a 20 year old. Even Doctors couldn’t find the cause of her condition, blood tests upon blood tests but still nothing. If I said my faith hasn’t been tested greatly, then I’d be a liar.

I was drowning in tears whilst hoping it was all a dream and I would wake up and everything would be back to normal, but it wasn’t a dream. I spent time praying and got others to pray for her too. Day after day, I would go to the hospital and see my friend still in bed. “Lord, I really need a miracle right NOW”. I did not want to wait any longer for my friend to be completely healed. But later on I began to really understand that God does things in his own way and he cannot be questioned. So instead of me being so upset with him and wanting to do things my way, I had to surrender. I had to accept that it had already happened and what I could only do was to keep praying and have FAITH. So I stopped crying and began to worship God (which is pretty hard to do when things are not going so well). Because at the end of the day, he is still a good God in the bad moments too. I felt his comfort, love and assurance. I and several people had dreams that she was going to be okay. Which gave me a greater hope, because although it wasn’t happening overnight, I knew it will come to pass. She will be completely healed.

Even though I was going through so much, God gave me strength to carry on. I didn’t put my life on pause. I still went to my lectures as normal, I still sat my exam (and passed by God’s grace), I still prayed on the phone for other people and encouraged them in their times of need as if nothing was wrong with me. I did this only by the grace and strength from God. Furthermore, God placed people in my life who kept checking up on me and kept praying for my friend. Which I am very grateful for.

Sooo… Why do I open up my heart and thoughts transparently to you in this blog? Because I know many of you may be disheartened that this year has not yet gone according to your plans.

Perhaps you’ve been applying for a job for a while now and you keep getting rejected. Or you’ve been taking a driving test several times but you keep failing. Or you’re still battling with the sin you’ve been struggling with for a while now. But I just want to encourage you that no matter what you’re going through right now, God is able to turn things around. Do not give up. Keep praying and worshipping God through all your storms. God has good plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). So even though it may look bad, just remember that all things are working together for your good. There is no testimony without a test. You are a conqueror, keep fighting the good fight!

Plus, it has only been 2 months in the year, you still have 10 more to make a change. God has not forgotten about you. If you’re reading this right now and you’d like me to pray for you, please do get in touch with me. I would be more than happy to do so.

Stay Blessed.

Love Sharon x