It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered

by Lysa TerKeurst

God doesn’t expect us to handle this. He wants us to hand this over to Him. REMEMBER: • God doesn’t want us to rally more of our own strength. He wants us to rely solely on His strength. • If we keep walking around thinking that God won’t give us more than we can handle, we set ourselves up to be suspicious of God. • God is making something beautiful out of my life. • Surrendering to God isn’t giving in—it’s giving up! Giving up carrying the weight of all that’s too much for us to our God. • It’s our choice whether we stay stuck in our hurt or get renewed in our hearts. • God isn’t far off and distant. He’s closer than we often realize. • Is this news or truth? • The restoration that is impossible with man’s limitations is always possible for a limitless God. RECEIVE: We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:8–9) Also read: Job 2:7–10 Psalm 25:5 Isaiah 45:9; 46:3–4, 9–11 Jeremiah 29:10–14 Matthew 5:8 1 Corinthians 10:13 Truth verses: Psalm 32:7; 73:23; 146:6; Isaiah 41:10; John 14:6 REFLECT: • In what ways are you questioning how God is making your life stronger ...