Have you put a period where God placed a comma?

“Don’t put a period where God places a comma!”

These words were shared by Pastor Buddy Owens at Saddleback Church this weekend as he preached an amazing sermon called Trusting God Through Trouble.

We looked at the verses written by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, by not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Are you feeling knocked down by disappointments or difficulties in your life?  Do you feel pressed on every side by the weight of your circumstances?  Are you confused and perplexed as to why God has you walking through a season of grief or heartbreak right now?

I am so sorry if you are in the middle of a storm right now.  I have been there, so I know how incredibly hard it can be.  Let me encourage you today with this amazing truth I learned from our pastor.

“Your troubles are not the end of your story. Instead, they are the beginning of a greater story.”

As we studied these verses in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, the pastor noticed there were commas after each descriptive word, not a period.

  • “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
  • Perplexed, by not in despair;
  • Persecuted, but not abandoned;
  • Struck down, but not destroyed.”

A period signifies the end of a sentence, but a comma shows that there is still more to come.  I think it is important that we view our lives this same way. These feelings you are experiencing right now: hard pressed, grief, heartbreak, confusion….. they are real emotions that you will want to allow yourself time to process and feel in order to heal, but they are not the end of your story.

“Don’t put a period where God places a comma!”

I know someone needs to hear this message today.  This storm you have been facing has lasted longer than you thought.  The emotions are weighing on you and pressing you down.  You are struggling to see any light in the midst of the dark.

If you are feeling hopeless, I want to encourage you today to exchange the period you placed at the end of your difficult circumstance with a comma.  You may feel hard pressed on every side (comma), but you are not crushed.  You may feel struck down (comma), but you are not destroyed.

God is not finished with your story.  He wants to give you beauty for your ashes and purpose for your pain.

He has a plan bigger than you can even imagine and He wants you to trust Him even when you cannot understand. Fall back into His loving arms today and ask Him to give you His strength as you walk through this difficult season.

Remember this is not the end of your story but the beginning of an even greater story.

Love, Jodi

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