Two weeks ago, after being away from Heartstrong for some time, I camped out in the Book of Isaiah, and God met me there. He is so compassionate. I know because all too often He provides the “right word” for my “right now” circumstances. During that week, He highlighted the following words: comfort, peace, and Cornerstone.
My husband and I are facilitating a workshop on navigating grief and loss. A few weeks ago, we focused on the topic of comfort and how God brings it to His people. The following Sunday, my spirit perked up when I heard Pastor Barry read Isaiah 40:1-2 (ESV) from the pulpit: “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and tell her that her sad days are gone.”
Be assured that God desires to comfort us, just as He instructed Isaiah to speak tenderly to Jerusalem. During times of grief and loss, it’s important to seek God’s comfort. While it may not eliminate our sorrow, it can help us face it. Acknowledging that our ultimate comfort comes from the hope of being with God in the future is essential. Additionally, it encourages us to appreciate the comfort found in God’s word, His presence, and our community. Remember, you are not alone in your grief, pain, and sorrow.
Ultimately, trusting in God’s promises leads to rewards of joy, peace, and comfort that the world cannot provide. A key verse for this comfort is Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you” (NLT). Embrace this truth in faith.
Later in the week, I listened to the Heartstrong podcast on Isaiah 28, and while the discussion question was challenging, it prompted me to consider other verses and questions. So instead of camping out in verse 22, I meditated and prayed on verse 16, which states: Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken” (NLT).
Then the Holy Spirit gently nudged me to respond honestly to this question: Chantale, is your life built on the shaky base of your ego and self-reliance, or is it established on a firm foundation?
I confess my life has leaned heavily on self-reliance. It has been built on my fears, beliefs, pride, and personal desires. That was the ground on which I chose to stand. I would often boast about my circumstances, wearing them like a badge of honor to show others that I was strong enough to overcome whatever life threw my way. I confess that I may have also been playing the victim to gain attention and love.
Abandonment, rejection, abuse, addiction, perfectionism, fear, chronic illness, divorce, depression, job loss, cancer, betrayal, anxiety and death- I’ve used these life challenges to build myself up to show the world I was a resilient overcomer.
I arrogantly believed that God allowed these circumstances so I could demonstrate to others how to overcome. But ultimately, my foundation was fragile, and all my efforts came crashing down, leaving me mentally exhausted, anxious, depressed, chronically ill, and burnt out. My tower may have appeared tall, but its foundation was weak and crumbled around me.
God, in His infinite wisdom, used those building blocks to show me the meaning of genuine faith. What I had used to gain attention, approval and acceptance, He used as building blocks of faith to set upon His foundation of love. I was no longer a victim seeking love, but an overcomer. God stacked my circumstances upon the Cornerstone – Jesus – His love, sacrifice, grace, and truth. He laid them side by side, forming a wall of everlasting strength, protection, provision and spiritual care. Finally, my circumstances can be used for God’s glory rather than for my own victimhood.
Accepted by God and anointed by the Holy Spirit, I received an eternal perspective – fear no longer hindered my life or my decisions. God transformed my heart, allowing me to see, understand, and believe that trusting in Him is far better than relying on myself. Life continues to unfold, with or without my involvement, so why not stand on God’s foundation with assurance and joy, knowing that in Jesus, our Cornerstone? The battle has already been fought and won. We are victorious! We are Overcomers by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony – NOT self-reliance.
Today, I wear a tattoo of the word Faith, not as a badge of honor but as a shield against the fiery darts of the enemy (Forgoing All I Trust Him). And I turn to the Bible for comfort, peace and a firm foundation in Christ alone.
My sources of inspiration include Heartstrong podcasts, gotquestion.org, NLT Life Application Study Bible, and biblegateway.com, as well as “Overcome” by Jeremy Camp.
