Finding Hope in Difficult Seasons: A Journey Through Faith

Understanding Our Struggles

Many people I know are currently navigating very difficult seasons. These are seasons of suffering that can feel as long as Paul’s imprisonment. They can break us and rattle the very foundation of our faith. In my own life, I am battling Satan’s ambition and his desire to kill, steal, and destroy—not only our future but also our bloodline.

He preys on weak Christians, watered-down faith, and a generation that speaks in sound bites instead of biblical understanding. Distraction fills our atmospheres, misdirection spews from the airways, and counterfeit compasses guide our path.

But what is the truth?

When we endure suffering, we must be cautious. If we are not careful, we may find ourselves quoting Satan instead of God.

The Promise of Help

Isaiah 50:7 has much to say about how God responds in the middle of trouble. The small details and nuances of his writing teach us to pay attention, be faithful, and stand steadfast. Being rescued is not a matter of if, but when.

“For the Lord God will help me; therefore, I will not be disgraced; therefore, I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” (NKJV).

Let’s examine this powerful statement:

• Isaiah does not say, “Maybe God will help me.” Instead, he confidently states something about God’s character—He is faithful. He will rescue. There is no room for doubt here. There is only an understanding that rescue will come.

  
  

• The word “help” here is Azar, which means to surround, protect, aid, or “succor.” According to the 1828 English Dictionary, succor means to “run to, help, or relieve someone in difficulty or distress, deliver from suffering." This statement is a personal promise that God WILL deliver you from suffering.

  
  

• The conjunction “therefore” implies cause and effect. Isaiah knows, matter-of-factly, that he will not be disgraced for having faith. His God is a God that delivers. His God will “succor,” and because of that...

  
  

• He has "set his face like a flint." Why use this phrase? In the context of the ancient Far East, flint was a very hard material used to make sharp tools and weapons because it did not chip easily or break. You could wear it thin, and it would still hold an edge. Flint serves as a powerful metaphor for unwavering resolve in the face of hardship. Here, Isaiah is saying, "I know who my God is, and my face, my resolve, will show it."

  
  

• He repeats, “I KNOW I will not be ashamed." By emphasizing this statement, Isaiah drives home the point that his faith is justified by a God with whom he has a personal relationship—one who WILL show up. Isaiah does not doubt that he WILL be saved.

  
  

This was an ordinary guy, called by God, tasked with traveling across miles and delivering unwelcome messages in the face of rebellion, persecution, rejection, and threats to his own life for years. Yet Isaiah’s language here does not falter.

He knows who His God is.

He knows what God says He will do.

He knows that his faith is not in vain.

He knows that He WILL be rescued.

The Weight of Our Seasons

Are you going through a difficult season? Perhaps that season has dragged on like Paul’s imprisonment or Isaiah’s journey. You may have grown weary in your faith, and the enemy’s lies might start to sound like the truth. You are not alone. Many who were called in scripture walked through seasons that would have broken many of us today. Yet they had one thing that many of us don’t take advantage of.

God’s Word.

They knew the history, the legends, and the tales of how God rescued the Israelites repeatedly. They understood the character of God and how He showed up in miraculous ways. They witnessed signs too big to miss and miracles too great to forget.

They knew their God was a God of His word.

The faithful weren’t necessarily stronger—they were just more rooted. Like trees planted by rivers of water, they drew strength from their foundation.

Reflecting on Our Faith

I encourage you to revisit some of what Isaiah had to say. Pay attention to the words he used and how he spoke about His God.

Are you speaking that way about your God today?

Take a moment to journal your response tonight. Reflect on where you might be listening to the lies instead of the truth.

Praying for you, friend! As always, if you need help learning how to walk this out—living out scripture in daily life, developing your relationship with Him, and getting free from the things that hold you back—I would love to help! Please reach out at muckandmire.org and schedule a consultation.

Blessings,

Susanne