There are seasons when life simply does not feel right. Sometimes it’s a lingering thought about someone or something that unsettles us and shadows our days. At other times, it’s waking up without motivation, carrying a cloud of discouragement that is hard to explain. For some, it’s the frustration of giving your all but never seeing things click into place. For others, it’s responsibilities they once carried joyfully now feeling like a burden. It can even be a sudden shift in mood that lasts for days, or a creeping sense of spiritual dryness—as though the flame has dimmed. Scripture reminds us that even the faithful walked through such times: Elijah sat under the broom tree and prayed that he might die (1 Kings 19:4), David wrestled with despair in tears and wished that he might be with God (Psalm 42), Paul admitted to being hard pressed on every side by troubles (2 Corinthians 4:8), and Job endured unimaginable loss while still holding on to his integrity. These examples remind us that such seasons are real, but they are never the end of the story.

Yet even in such valleys, God’s nearness is sure. When Elijah was downcast, God sent an angel with food and rest (1 Kings 19:5–8). Your own situation may feel like Elijah’s—exhausted, wishing it would all just stop—yet God knows exactly what you need for the next step. When David cried, “Why are you downcast, O my soul?” (Psalm 42:11), he was facing betrayal, danger, and loneliness. Like David, you may be weighed down by circumstances beyond your control, yet his choice to speak hope into his soul reminds us we can too — “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.” Even Job, stripped of wealth, health, and family, had something to hold on to — his desire to present his case directly before God. Though unaware of the heavenly conversation between God and Satan, Job’s story shows us that God sees and knows everything even before they happen, and that His limits on the trial prove His sovereignty. Importantly, Job did not run from God but longed for a closer connection with Him by deeply desiring to present his case before God. That is our example, not to sink into self-pity, but to draw near and pour out our hearts before the One who truly sees, knows and understands everything.

This is why the Bible calls us to cast our burdens on the Lord, for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Jesus Himself invites us: “Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). Perhaps like Hannah, whose sorrow over childlessness consumed her, you’ve carried a burden in silence that no one else sees. Her breakthrough came not by running away, but by pouring out her anguish before God (1 Samuel 1:10–20). Or maybe like Jeremiah, you feel deceived or crushed by life’s demands; yet God kindled a fire in his heart that could not be quenched (Jeremiah 20:9). These stories meet us where we are and remind us that our moments of weakness are not wasted, but can become testimonies of God’s power and care.

At such times, we must also remember that our struggles ripple outward. Our families, loved ones, and communities often feel the weight of our discouragement. But God has not called us to be reservoirs of despair, rather, He calls us to be channels of His strength. Paul says, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). For some, your situation may resemble Nehemiah’s, who faced ridicule, opposition, and heavy responsibility during the rebuilding of the wall. Yet he later declared to the people, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Like Nehemiah, you may be in a place where your own strength is spent, but seeing God as your source can give you the resolve you need to keep going, not only for your sake but for those who look to you for guidance, love, and encouragement.

So, when things don’t feel right, remember this: God’s strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). The One who sustained Elijah under the broom tree, revived David in the face of betrayal and despair, empowered Paul when hard pressed on every side, comforted Jeremiah when his heart burned with anguish, answered Hannah when her silent tears became desperate prayers, and preserved Job through unimaginable loss, is the same God who walks with us today. His promises are abundant and unchanging: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6); “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31); “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast” (Isaiah 26:3); and even if a mother forgets her nursing child, the Lord declares, “I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15). These seasons of weariness are not signs of failure but invitations to encounter His faithfulness afresh. Therefore, let us rise with courage, holding fast to His promises, rekindling the fire within, and walking forward with renewed strength, not in our own might, but in the strength of the Lord—for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for His glory.