Being 16, my parents would NEVER allow me to date. However, I did experience a heartbreak that was just as painful. I invested my entire high school career thus far in a program that was so important to me. Being involved in it uniquely grew my passion for leadership and even inspired and led me to be more involved in our church.
Unfortunately, even after all my commitment and sacrifice for this role, it wasn’t enough to fulfill my goals for my upcoming senior year. What hurt even more, though, was the reason why.
I was confident that it was God’s will for me to lead in this program. But I found out that it certainly was not. Having the future I had so confidently believed in thrown into disarray was shocking and still is, to be honest. But today’s prayer deeply resonated with me:
“Grant me, once again, assurance of your presence and love.”
This prayer is what I have learned to ask God when my plans fall apart. It is truly when we need God’s love and assurance the most. Knowing that God is always with us and will never leave us alone in our struggles is comforting.
We can find comfort, support, and strength during difficult times through prayer, community, and faith. Hardships are an inevitable part of life, but they do not have to define us. It is important to remember that God will help us through our struggles if we turn to God for guidance and support. God is always present, working behind the scenes to bring about good.
If you are experiencing heartbreak, whether from a relationship, project, or activity you have committed to and invested so much time into that fails, it can be very challenging. You may question God and wonder why this heartbreak is happening.
I think of the song, “Joy in the Morning,” by Tauren Wells, which says:
Everything happens for a reason
But you don’t know what you don’t know
And you’ll never have peace if you don’t let go of tomorrow
‘Cause it’s not even faith till your plan falls apart
But you still choose to follow,
If it doesn’t make sense right now, it will when it’s over
There will be joy in the morning
There will be joy in the morning.
Many stories in the Bible tell us about God’s presence during hard times. For example, the story of Job, who lost everything but remained faithful to God, is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Similarly, the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his brothers, shows that even in the darkest times, God is always present and working behind the scenes to bring about good.
Although I don’t know what will happen “in the morning” for me, I can trust that God always looks out for us all. Even though I have many more heartbreaks in store, I can trust that we have a God who will be there through it all. God has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, and God’s faithfulness endures forever.
Heartbreaks can be challenging and inevitable, but finding comfort, support, and strength through faith, prayer, and community is comforting. These things teach us to trust God’s goodness and faithfulness, even in difficult situations.
We can let go of our plans and trust in God’s plan for our lives, knowing God has promised to work all things together for our good. Even though we may not understand everything that happens in our lives, we can take comfort that God is always with us and will never leave us alone in our struggles.
Even in the midst of our heartbreak, God always delivers “our daily bread.” For me, the message “give us this day our daily bread” signifies that God’s unwavering support is always present. God continually nourishes and sustains us in every situation, steadfastly accompanying us through both the heartbreaks and the peaks of our lives.
Lauryn Singh is a junior in high school and enjoys leading in the Youth Sabbath School, as well as being involved in this church community.
These reflections stand alone, but if you want to enjoy the prayers from May It Be So that they’re based on, please click here to request a copy of the book.