I just got back from Birmingham and was so touched by what God is doing in the midst of brokenness.
It is going to take time.
Time to cry. Time to heal. Time to rebuild. Time to process. Time to admit to God we don’t like or understand what happened. Time to ask why. And time to let go of asking why. Time to trust.
Time.
Because healing can’t be rushed.
A while back I was on “Life Today” with James and Betty Robison tackling the tough subject ‘When God Hurts Your Feelings.’ I pray something from this video encourages your heart today.
Sweet sisters who are standing in the midst of brokenness today, I want you to know I’m thinking and praying for you today. Your tears are seen by God. Your heartbreak is felt by God. Your cries are heard by God.
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:3-5
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Thank You Lysa for this word today.. I have been struggling in this message for awhile.. Always love your encouraging words daily.. They have helped me in my daily walk with God.. Keep them encouragements coming. I pray for you Ministry.. and most I pray for you.. Thank you so much..A Sister in Christ Olga
Lysa,
I NEEDED this…today! Thank you!
~Tammy
This was, once again, exactly what I needed. Thank you so much for these devotionals and nuggets of truth from God!
Thank you Lysa for these words. This is exactly what I needed to be reminded of today. Blessings to you.
Thank you Lysa for this blessing reminding me that no matter how very alone I feel, that God is there even when I don’t think he or anyone else or even cares. Just the reminder I needed. I just wish I had a friend like you who I call day or night. thanks
Thank you for this!!!! I have been praying for my son’s salvation this morning and have been broken by worry, fear and grief…..God knew just what I needed.
Thank You Lysa for this word today.. I have been struggling in this message for awhile.. Always love your encouraging words daily.. They have helped me in my daily walk with God.. This past Saturday night my 13 yr old son handled his father’s pistol when we were not home. He knows NOT to do this and hasn’t until then. The gun went off and was loaded-it hit our family pet cat of 13 yrs. This experince has had a horrific learning impact on my family. Your message confirms what I have told my family-time & prayer will heal this deep wound. Thank you for your inspiration & encouragement. / Missy in North, SC
Lysa,
I am so glad to hear you say sometimes we don’t have the answers to our “why” questions, but God is good even in bad or difficult circumstances. Wednesday, April 27th, I was to finish facilitating our Ladies Bible Study class, Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl. Thank God all activities at church were cancelled that night due to impending weather. The F4 tornado ripped through Ringgold at the time we would have been leaving our study. I can say that even as my heart has wept at all the destruction, I am filled with gratitude and hope. As the pastor’s wife at Ringgold UMC, I am seeing first hand God’s healing strength and compassion as the community of Ringgold is reaching out to one another with the love of Christ who first loved us. God IS good! All the time! Oh, and this Wednesday night, we have our “wrap-up” session for Becoming More Than A Good Bible Study Girl!
God bless you Lysa. For years I prayed for wisdom and discernment, multiple times each day. I often thought God became tired of my repetitive request. I mean I asked him DAILY for YEARS for more wisdom and discernment. Praise His Holy Name – he is so faithful! Hallelujah! we don’t see the transformation or the spiritual impartation until the day comes when we are able to speak with total conviction to another – that the ferverant prayer of a faithful child – WILL and DOES – availith much. In the midst of tears, our utter brokenness, changes have already begun. Things WILL GET BETTER. Our tears HAVE NOT been in vain. Most importantly, our repetitive requests for wisdom and discernment HAVE been answered and the evidence will often astound not only us, but those that are close to us an have known our depths of despair. It easy to say there’s a light at the end of the tunnel – the hard part is believing it. God bless you Lysa for today I have heard my father’s voice through you – and I’m instructed again to begin a renewed request for Wisdom and Discernment. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you to me. – Georgia
My life has become to broken to see the future all i see is the past. I’ve put God in the corner and asked Him to prove himself. Today He told me to lay my past mistakes at his feet and walk away.
I often read your messages but dont usually reply but thank you x
Lysa I just want to thank you for always sharing things that we all need to hear. Your messages always touch me and I enjoy to share them with others.. You are in my prayers and thanks for sharing God word to us.
Lysa, thank you for coming to Birmingham. All of the speakers were great, but both last year and this year, you touched me more. I appreciate you sharing your story and opening yourself up to us. I am excited about starting your new book “Made To Crave”. I wasn’t able to get the study guide and DVD with it, but hope to one day. I hope I am able to make it next year so that I can hear you again. God Bless you and your family.
God did it again! For some reason, I have not been receiving your daily blog in my email box. I’ve beent hinking, I need to check into that–I miss her! Then today, after a rough morning, after breaking down and getting on my knees over my beloved son and how to help him, I opened my inbox and there you were…with this message. God used you in a bigger way in my life today than I could ever let you know.He used you to get me back on track on relying on Him. I trust Him. I believe He is completely in control and He’s “got this”. But lately, it has been hard to even know how to pray. I know He knows my heart, I just cant seem to find the right words. Thank you Lysa. I am going to keep asking God for the spirit of wisdom and discernment. I want it to pour over me. I’m sorry for the long post…Thank you so much for your obedience to God and for the example you give us all
Thanks soooo much…I so needed this today. I am in the midst of a storm that I do not understand why at all…this helps!
Needed this today. More than you know. I am a wee bit overwhelmed right now with life. Thank you for sharing… and I think I will follow your advice. I think I’ll change my question to God and wait for His answer.
I am exactly where you were describing, I am trying to understand and ask why? I feel like God has hurt my feelings, He took my son away from me…I so did not deserve this, and now I am even struggling to stay in contact with him because of my ex and his bitterness, I am broken, hurt and I can’t even muster up the strength to fight the good fight and trust God and seek him. So broken, in heart, spirit and faith Thanks for your video:) and your message, Prayers are appreciated that I can make sense of all of this and find hope and meaning in all of this
Words of wisdom… good timing… God timing!!!!
Congratulations ladies and Thank you Lysa for reminding us that it is okay to ask why but we also need to be able to move beyond and let go off asking why. Keeping you in my prayers, Melody
I really needed that. I am going thru some trials right now and I have been asking God Why? Thank You for the words of encouragement. It made me cry. God bless you.
Lysa,
Thank you so much!
I was going to forward this to a friend who is going through something right now (I still will), but as I read and listened God was speaking to me.
I am going through a very common family crisis right now, but was wearied by the “family” allowing me to do all the work when other’s should or could have been helping.
My pastor spoke a word to it yesterday and during Praise and Worship I asked God for wisdom and the ability to not move without his guidance…and then this morning…
God has not hurt my feelings, but this family of mine have hurt and scared me…and others…and I was being reeled back in to a place where I had put a sturdy boundary.
Thank you so much…for confirmation!
Blessings,
Andrea
What a privelege to attend the conference this weekend and be encouraged and challeged by the Lord. I was so honored to look into the eyes of the woman whom God is powerfully using even though she is just as normal as me. You are truly a woman of God and I’m so thankful to be able to call you my sister in Christ. Love, your lunch buddy!!!!
THANK YOU FOR THE WORD TODAY TO ASK WHEN WE READ HIS WORD TO FIND OUT WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW FOR TODAY AND APPLY IT. I WILL DO THAT GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS KAY
Thank you for listening to the heart of God in what you post each day. Only He knew how very much I needed to hear this. I will never understand the why… why bad things happened to me and why my son died and why I’m having to take a detour in pursuing a dream but… I can always hold on to the Truth that God is still good and that He has a plan in everything.
Thank you for this VERY timely reminder.
My nugget for today was Psalm 18:29 “…by my God I can leap over a wall.” And there is indeed a wall in front of me today. A wall I cannot leap on my own, but with God I will.
Thank you, Lysa!
Well, it this is not a word for me today. I am in a season that I don’t like and don’t understand. Why someone who loves you can hurt you so much. A choice to get involved in porn and lie about everything in our lives is just devistating to me. I don’t want a divorce, but consequences need to be in place, yet he choses not to so the things that are being asked. I truly need to know what His plan is for today…What about our 2 and 1/2 year old baby girl. Thank you for this message today. I was feeling pretty overwhelmed earlier, and this helped me re-focus and re-gear myself. Please pray for my family. Thank you!~
I truly love listening to you speak! I’m at the point in my life, where I need to stop questioning God. My husband and I have been trying for a baby for over a year, and have dealt with a miscarriage within that year. I need to focus now on what God wants me to do and seek His plan.
Thank you for being such a wonderful woman of God!
Thank you…I have been going through (for a long time) hurt and disappointment that came out of obeying God. I have tried to bury the feelings…but they have sprouted again. There are some “why” questions as I deal with ongoing hurt that feels like God betrayed me, tricked me…although in my deepest heart I know He cannot be like that. But it leaves me with just tears…not knowing what to do…
Thank you…I have been going through (for a long time) hurt and disappointment that came out of obeying God. I have tried to bury the feelings…but they have sprouted again. There are some “why” questions as I deal with ongoing hurt that feels like God betrayed me, tricked me…although in my deepest heart I know He cannot be like that. But it leaves me with just tears…not knowing what to do… It makes me feel that even God has abandoned me…and I cannot seem to hear His voice any more…
Isn’t it amazing how God speaks to us when we need it? Lately I’ve been doing more listening than usual and what a difference it is making in my life. So many things have happened in my past that I have not dealt with and God is leading my to deal with them through situations that He is placing before me and my family. It seems awful and stressful and messy on the outside but behind the scenes I can finally see God working in our lives to bring about some long lasting much needed change. Praise God for He is good! Thank you Lysa for allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through you and straight through to so many hearts.
Lysa, you are so right about our changing our perspective…it reminded me of the the Scripture Matthew 11:6 NLT `God blesses those who are not offended by me,’ has been paraphrased: “Blessed is he who does not get uptight about the way I do My business.” A day like that which awaited John the Baptist awaits us all. Behind all events, behind all things, there is always His Sovereign Hand. Rather than getting stuck by asking questions like…“Why is God doing this? Why is He like this?Why does He not answer me? Why did God allow this tragedy to happen to me, to my children, to my family? Why does God allow injustices?” I pray for wisdom and discernment, to know the real question is…“Will you follow a God you do not understand? Will you follow a God who does not live up to your expectations?”
I hear my Savior gently respond to me, “And blessed are you if you are not offended with me.”
I splurged this weekend and bought 2 of your books. Hoping to read and gain new insight. I will probably gift one of them after I read it.
sometimes, we as human do experience heartache, some we do to ourselves. some are just experiences we get into but with prayer we make it thru it.
Dear Lysa,
Thanks for your word. I am going through some pain of the past, but I have let go and forgiven my ex-fiance. Now I feel love in my heart for him. I know that God is calling me to marry someone else, but I have been able to let go. Thanks
My 25 year old brother (we are only one year apart and very close) died in a single vehicle accident on May 5th. I was at our mom’s on the night that the cops came to the door and with her when we went to identify him at the accident site. In the last week and a half since the accident I have cried more than I have in probably 5 years. I know that God is going to take care of us and Matt wouldn’t have left us if he didn’t think we would make it through. The house has been filled with people who not only Matt but our mom and myself has touched. We have been so blessed by the kindness of everyone who loves us. During the service the same thing you said our pastor said, “Your tears are seen by God. Your heartbreak is felt by God. Your cries are heard by God.” I pray constantly and cry all the time. Today was my first day back to work since the accident. It wasn’t a good day but I know that I will have good days and bad days. God’s got me and I just have to trust that He will get me through this. Blessings!!
I pray my wife will see this, as she sometimes reads Lysa’s blog. She is deeply hurt by things in her past and is struggling with forgiveness to the point that it is damaging our marriage. She denies that her relationship with Jesus is hurting, too. I’m praying for the release from captivity, the removal of darkness from her life, and the annointing of the Holy Spirit to fill her life with God’s love, overflowing with endless joy. Thank you Lysa, for the inspiration you bring to many women and the men who love them…
Lysa..I really enjoyed you being in Birmingham, AL this weekend for the conference! You always inspire me to want to do more for my God! It was so good to be one of the top 2 group leaders and get to meet you and talk to you one on one. I wish we had more time but I understand schedules!
I pray that God will continue to lead and guide you and keep you safe in His arms as you travel ministering to those who need the Lord!
Thank you so much for your prayers since the tornado. I live in Tuscaloosa and we were hit very bad in so many areas of the city. God had His hand in that storm because I believe that some of the areas that were touched..destroyed..these were places that God did not like…the devil himself was amongst those.
God bless and know I’m looking forward to seeing you next year with a much larger group!!!
Debbie Holley
Lysa,
For two years I have been asking the wrong questions. Many times,forgive me Father, those questions were asked in anger, self pity and dispair.
God used your blog to bring light to my darkness.
I lost my job, house and car and am now living with and caring for a parent with dementia. I have no income. The family has their own dramas so I am pretty much on my own.
But your blog reminded me that whether i understand or not, whether it was my sin or God’s plan all along , this is my reality now.
God is in the midst of this reality. So I can say today, in surrender and trust,
God, what do you want me to do with it?
Thank you for letting God use you to touch so many lives.
In Christ, Sandra
Thank you for pointing this out… We all can apply this simple truth to our everyday lives!
thank you and the others for comfort thru your pain. It reminds of the scripture that talks about christian brothers and sisters around the world are going thrun the same thing. I know that I just have to release the hurt, pain and regret. I’m praying every day to surrender to His agenda
Something happened to me last night which devastated me. Actually it happened Friday night but the fall-out fell on me last night. completely based on absolute lies from three women who viciously attacked me with their words. I was stunned, as nothing like that has ever happened to me before. I felt evil spewing from the mouths of these women. And in the end it was three against one (the one being me)–and I was the one who lost their job. There was nothing I could do, nothing I could say because they had ‘their story’ so well rehearsed. So today, all day, the words, ‘the truth shall set you free’ has loomed through my tears. I have asked God point blank ~ not, why did you let this happen, but, ” Lord, what are you trying to tell me/teach me. I decided I really needed to get into His word today. I read your post everyday and felt drawn to it to be the first of my reading of the day. And lo and behold ~ it could not have been more poignant.
When I read…
“Time to cry. Time to heal. Time to rebuild. Time to process. Time to admit to God we don’t like or understand what happened. Time to ask why. And time to let go of asking why. Time to trust.”
“Because healing can’t be rushed.”
It brought a sense of peace to my heart. I am still angry, yet it has softened.
I prayed for these women and I prayed for the strength to carry on and trust that the Lord has something better for me.
Yet, at my age of 58, I am scared. Jobs are not easy to come by for those of us who so many think we are too old, when we have so much more to give.
There was a reason for this and God knows why (wish I was privy to the why right now) Yet, I know it will come. I am in a deep valley now and through previous valley’s it has been my greatest period of growth. I expect the same this time.
So, ok, I was thrown a curve ball that came out of the blue, completely caught by surprise ~ but my God has very special plans for me, I do believe it and I trust Him with my heart. As your words spoke volumes, healing takes time.
I thank you for all you wrote today, there was truly a reason for me opening your email first. God love you and bless you and your precious family.
Dear Lysa, I felt relieved reading your article. It helped me to realized again the goodness of God that He sees my tears and He felt my hear breaks. I had a very painful experience in the past that I almost gave up trusting God. But in His mercy, He helped me to go through this with victory. God bless your ministry.
As I sit here at my computer this morning reading this blog while feeling sorry for myself, God is reminding me of how far I have come and how much I have grown in the past 10 years. My job just ended unexpectantly and I have serious health issues right now as well, but as I take my focus off myself and stop having a pity party I turn my focus on God and what He wants me to learn from this experience. Do I trust Him enough to follow Him through this time with peace and joy in my heart and the answer is absolutely! God has walked with me through much worse and as I continue to trust and follow Him and stand up and embrace the ministry He is leading me into again then I am strong in the Lord. Thank you Lysa for your heart for God and for helping women see clearly their way in this sometimes trying world and I also thank all of you who have posted here as it has all encouraged me to take up my cross again and follow where God is leading me without doubting the direction and how it all will happen. After all God is God and He does know best.
The testimony of the true value of the blood of the Lamb is now delivered Rev 12:10-11. The woman of Revelation 12 is now here… God is very precise: A woman delivers the true word John1:1, Rev 12:5, Rev 12:13 who restores Acts 3:21 all things to the world before Christ’s return. This woman exposes the lies of Satan who has deceived the whole world Rev 12:9. This woman creates a new thing in the earth by fulfilling God’s promise to Eve Gen 3:15, Jer 31:22, Isa 14:16. She is meek like unto Moses Num 12:3, she was raised up Acts 3:22 from the Laodicean church that becomes labeled as lukewarm because they refused to hear her Rev 3:14-17. She is bold like Elijah Matt 17:11, Luke 1:17, her witness alone turns the hearts of the fathers to the children Mal 4:5-6 to prepare a people for the Lords return before the great and dreadful day of the Lord Matt 17:3, Luke 9:30. Moses and Elijah are together with the word Matt 17:3 they all three are in this one woman. Those who will not hear Acts 3:23 the true word of God now delivered to the world free of charge, as a witness, at the heel of time from the wilderness Rev 12:6 will not be allowed inside the walls of God’s coming kingdom from heaven Rev 21. This true word delivers the truth that not one child of God will be put in a hell fire no matter what their sins. It never entered the heart or mind of God to ever do such a thing Jer 7:31, Jer 19:5. God created evil Isa 45:7 to teach his children the knowledge of good and evil Rom 8:7, Gen 3:22 so that at their resurrection they become a god Matt 22:29-30, Ps 82:6. Prove all things. You cannot rightly judge this unless you read all that has been written by this woman first Pro 18:13. http://minigoodtale.blogspot.com check out the bruising of Satan and the reason for all of mankind’s sufferings.
Dear Lysa, For years I asked the question “Why” and to no end there was no answer. Through the trials and tribulations I have been able to let the “Why’s” go. I can’t go back and I obviously needed the lessons I learned on letting go, but I feel sad for the time I missed being caught up in the “WHY”. Thank you for your inspirational message. I will share it with others who are in the same place I was. I have let the “WHYS” go…they do creep in now and again, but I have learned where to put them…in Jesus’s hands and not mine. God Bless you.
Lysa,
I have had this in my inbox for about a week now. My family is broken right now due to an ongoing conflict between my sister and I. I feel so broken and lost right now. Tonight as I am sitting at my computer, I open up this message and my heart just leaps! I needed to see this at this moment on this day, not a week ago when it originally came through. Thank you for sharing this message. I will continue to pray for wisdom and discernment in this situation. God bless!!