Can hope be found in the midst of suffering?
Life can be overwhelming. Between the challenges of daily life and the constant stream of devastating news, it’s easy to feel weighed down by depression, anxiety, or even trauma. If you’ve ever felt like it’s hard to get through the day, you’re not alone.
Suffering can be found everywhere. Not only in distant lands but in our own communities – and even in our own homes.
Just recently we have seen the horrific impact both Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton have had in the Southeast.
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I witnessed the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina — it’s where I reside. Widespread flooding affected numerous communities, including the tourist city of Ashville, which was cut off from surrounding towns. Significant destruction of infrastructure and residential areas, especially in the western Appalachians, resulted in many homes and bridges being washed away. Emergency services and relief efforts were delayed because of the inability to reach the areas most devastated. More than 200 souls lost their lives in Hurricane Helene, while Hurricane Milton caused more than $50 billion of destruction and the loss of more than 50 souls.
The suffering caused by both hurricanes was immeasurable.
Hurricane Helene triggered memories of my own family’s devastation when Hurricane Fran hit our area in September of 1996. Our lives were forever changed by that raging storm. We suffered the loss of life of some of our family members, the eventual loss of our family farm (and the sustenance it provided us), and the loss of our way of life.
It was a time of great suffering — a time that I thought we would never recover from.
As difficult as those years of grief were, it also brought something unexpected. Every family member who survived the loss of our farm found strength and faith in God in the midst of the pain. The ones we lost had passed on their faith — whether through working in the fields together, praying before meals, or singing hymns on the porch swing. Through that faith, each of us developed a deeper connection to God, experienced the love of Jesus, and saw His grace in ways we hadn’t before. Over time, we were even able to plant seeds of hope in others and witness the transformation in those who invited God into their lives.
The God of hope was there — among us all, working things together for good.
What are you suffering through today? Just as God was with our family in the hurricane, He is with you in that devastating diagnosis ... that heartbreaking divorce ... that grief over the loss of a loved one ... that loss of a job or financial ruin ... Yes, God is there with you, especially when you feel that you will never recover.
I have experienced a fair amount of suffering in my life’s journey — both with and without God — and I have to say, even though walking with God does not mean we will not suffer, it does mean that He is with us in the suffering and will see us through it. No matter what problem, trial, or suffering you are experiencing, when God is in the battle with you, it makes a big difference. Hope dispels the darkness and gives us the understanding that by God’s grace and love, He can work all things for the greater good. He can give you peace and love that the world cannot give.
Are you suffering today? Have you lost hope? I encourage you to simply ask God to make himself real to you. Invite Him into your life — yes, in that awful situation you find yourself in right now — let Him hold your hand through the trial and lead you into a brighter day.
Natalie Parrish is a native of North Carolina, where she was brought up in a small rural farming community. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management as well as an MBA. Besides working in Biotech for 20 plus years, Natalie is a best-selling author, including her latest book, Girl Behind the Smile, her personal journey of overcoming suffering and trauma. Married to her best friend, Will, the couple continues to help those who have been impacted by Hurricane Helene.
