The Psalmist records in the 30th Psalm and verse 5: For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Seasons are a part of life, one follows the other and the cycle continues out into the future.

There is a phrase and depending upon the translation you are reading says things like: “and it came to pass.” “now it came to pass.” Some have even paraphrased it “this too shall pass.” The first two statements are actually more biblical and a fair translation. There are varying opinions what this means! It could be something as simple as marking the passing of time. A literary way of saying and so on and so on and so forth. Regarding time, it is a reminder that time moves on, and nothing stays the same. Right now I am facing two different circumstances regarding difficulties, and it is comforting to know “this too shall pass.”  
We divide time, in several ways and it can be as small as a second and as long as eons. In between these two extremes is the place where you and I live. If things are stressful at work, time seems to drag along. When we are in some boring activity, the movement of time seems to crawl. When we are busy or involved in things we love, time speeds by too quickly. When you are amid a difficult season, health, finance, relationships, and a host of others you more often than not have the sense that this will never change, and you will not get it to resolve.

How do you get through a tough period in your life?

Allow me to give five things to remember when you are going through a tough time!

1 Change is a fact. Reflect over your life. Especially think of times when you faced challenges and trials. Try to remember how it felt living in the middle of that situation. You did not know you would get through it or that you would finish. Things change. I tend to think of change as the good things I will lose. A change also allows me to forget bad things! I move on to a new job, my health improves, I pay off my debt; I experience a positive outcome. Nothing stays the same. Remember, change is inevitable! For the problems, we are going through this is good news.

2 Problems often are a life-lesson laboratory. I heard someone say they had learned more from their enemies than their friends. I can say confidently today I have learned more in the valleys than I have learned from being on the mountaintop. It is in the low places I have learned to depend upon the Lord. His grace has been sufficient. At moments of trust, I have learned I can lean upon Him. In the middle of a painful time ask Him to teach you a lesson that will help you today, a lesson you can use to assist you through future challenges. God does not waste our sorrows!

3 Everyone has problems! There I said it! A few times I have thought ‘I am the only person that has problems.’ Or at least I am the only one that has so many difficulties. What I have discovered is all of God’s children have trouble! It is a fact of life. Now it does not help me to know that problems are everywhere, it helps me to know that problems are a part of the human condition. As long as I live there will be problems or at least one or two lurking around the corner! Have a problem today? Welcome to the human experience!

4 God does some of His best work when we are going through problems. Every miracle in the Bible was God’s response to a problem. The parting of the Red Sea, the feeding of the 5000, the healing of the blind, deaf and crippled, and so on. Have you turned your problem over to the Lord? Problems are the raw material for miracles. One miracle is learning to trust in the storm.

5 This too shall pass. I know it feels slightly irritating when you are going through a problem, and then someone like me says “this to shall pass.” Regardless of how you feel, it is true nothing in this life lasts forever. As this problem is consuming your thoughts today trust, the God who holds all of our tomorrows and this too shall pass!

A sign outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV

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