Standing Strong When Life Shakes You

Scripture: 

“For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect.”

—Psalm 18:31–32 (NLT)

Reflection:

No one can stop a woman who draws her strength from God. She may stumble, she may get angry, and she may feel like giving up, but she never surrenders because God lifts her up. She doesn’t plot revenge or sink into bitterness. She lets God fight her battles. Some days, she’s a conqueror; other days, she’s a woman in sweatpants eating ice cream for dinner. Yet every day, she stands tall in faith—continuing to pray, hope, and cling to God’s promises.

Personal Story:

I went through an ugly separation and divorce a few years ago. I felt completely helpless—overwhelmed by needing to go back to work, burdened by my family falling apart, and devastated by the unveiling of years of lies and betrayal. I was a total basket case—crying in the car, crying in the shower, and crying when the grocery store was out of my favorite snack. I obsessed over finding out every last detail of the affairs and had many sleepless nights. I was angry and bitter, and I wanted revenge.

I prayed with all my heart, asking God for strength to survive because I had none left. I struggled to forgive the people involved and the sorrow it caused me, my family, and my friends.

One night, during one of my sleepless stretches, I watched a podcast about forgiveness. God gently nudged me to obey Him and stand on His promises. He showed me that forgiveness was a gift to myself, not to the people who hurt me. That night I prayed through the list of people who betrayed me—my ex, his current affair partner, past partners, people who knew about the affairs and covered for him, and friends and family who turned their backs on me. It wasn’t a short list.

The next morning, I felt a peace I couldn’t explain. The obsession was gone. The feelings for him were gone. The bitterness and anger were gone! It was as if God had done a deep clean on my heart. Just like David:

“I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”

—Psalm 40:1–2 (NLT)

As the days passed, God encouraged me in little ways: a kind word from a friend, a new work opportunity, and a steady assurance that He was with me. This experience taught me that even in my weakness, God’s strength is more than enough to carry me through. He was—and is—my Rock.

Of course, I still get angry at times when I look back on all that happened. Sometimes my mind wants to replay the old episodes of “what he did” like a rerun. But when that happens, I remind myself of the forgiveness I prayed through and the freedom God gave me. My obedience to Him ensures that I’ll have the strength to overcome tough times and difficult people—even the ones who seem to have a talent for making life harder.

I encourage you to step aside and let God do the heavy lifting in your life. Those who have hurt you will never be able to say “I’m sorry” enough to remove the pain they caused you—there’s no apology big enough for that. Only forgiveness will take away the hurt and bitterness. Only the Solid Rock will heal you and give you a steady, beautiful path forward.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for being my Rock and my strength. Help me to trust You in every season and to keep standing in faith, knowing You will lift me when I fall—even on the days when all I can manage is a whispered prayer. Amen.