We are not meant to find our peace or fulfillment in this broken world. The hurt we experience here is temporary, no matter how deep it feels.
Everywhere we look today, it feels like the world is unraveling. People lash out in anger, friendships are torn apart, and love seems to grow colder by the day. It’s heartbreaking to witness how easily kindness is forgotten and how often relationships are sacrificed over pride, selfishness, or misunderstanding.
For those who are on the receiving end of pain, betrayal, rejection, or cruelty, it’s natural to feel the urge to fight back, to retaliate, to defend your heart. But God’s Word calls us to something higher. Hebrews 13:14 (NLT) reminds us, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” This truth gives us the strength to respond differently.
We are not meant to find our peace or fulfillment in this broken world. The hurt we experience here is temporary, no matter how deep it feels. Our citizenship is not of this earth; Philippians 3:20 (NLT) declares, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”
When we remember that heaven is our true home, we gain perspective. The pain others inflict doesn’t define us; it refines us. Every trial becomes an opportunity to draw closer to Christ, to model His grace, and to reflect His light in the darkness.
So, when you feel like the world is falling apart around you, take heart. God sees your tears. He knows your hurt. And He promises that one day, all wrongs will be made right. Until then, walk in peace, love without fear, and keep your eyes fixed on the home that awaits you, where there will be no more sorrow, no more betrayal, and no more pain.
Heaven is our final destination. Let’s live each day with that hope in our hearts.
Related Song: This World Is Falling Apart
For anyone who has been hurt by the players in this world, remember, this world may be harsh, but we have heaven to look forward to. Please click to hear the song and video inspired by Hebrews 13:14 and Philippians 3:20.
God’s timing is not always ours. We may feel abandoned, but the truth is, He is preparing us for what’s ahead. Seasons of silence are not signs of rejection; they are times of preparation and growth.
Scripture Reading “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)
Reflection Recently, I found myself walking through some of the lowest valleys of my life. At seventy years old, I thought I would have “found” myself by now; surely my purpose would be clear. Instead, I struggled with silence from heaven and the weight of unanswered questions.
I tried harder, worked longer, and sought to prove myself worthy of God’s attention. But instead of fulfillment, I felt emptier than ever. Then, as if silence weren’t enough, I began to lose loved ones, friendships, income, and even peace of mind. My life felt like it was unraveling thread by thread.
In that place of despair, I cried out one more time. Though I still didn’t hear an answer, God met me where I was. At church, during worship, the pastor prayed over me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt joy breaking through the hollow spaces of my heart. Later, a friend reminded me that this season of loss was preparation. God was not taking from me to punish me; He was making room for where He was leading me.
That reminder brought me back to Scripture: to everything there is a season. When we wait on the Lord, even in silence, He promises to renew our strength and lift us on eagle’s wings.
Application God’s timing is not always ours. We may feel abandoned, but the truth is, He is preparing us for what’s ahead. Seasons of silence are not signs of rejection; they are times of preparation and growth.
Reflection Question Have you ever felt like God was silent and doubted His timing? How might God be preparing you in this very season?
Prayer Father, thank You for reminding me that Your timing is perfect, even when I don’t understand it. Help me trust You in the silence, and strengthen me to wait on You with hope. Renew my spirit so that I may walk faithfully into the season You are preparing for me. Amen.
Left-handed compliments are passive-aggressive. They’re sly. And they often leave you wondering, was that supposed to be nice?
Since publishing my book Transformation, I’ve been on a personal mission, one that’s both exciting and a little terrifying, to become the most authentic version of myself. I’ve been journaling the journey, collecting the lessons, and slowly shaping them into my next book, Nurturing the Soul. My hope is that it will one day serve as a gentle light for others walking their own path toward self-acceptance.
The very first step? Deciding I was done pretending.
For years, I wore a mask so seamlessly that even I forgot it was there. I smiled, I served, I poured myself out for others, so much so that I started losing sight of the person underneath the performance. Don’t get me wrong, I value kindness and service deeply. But somewhere along the way, “serving” others became a cover for something else: a fear of letting people down. And when you fear disappointing others, you learn to swallow your own needs… and sometimes even swallow insults.
One type of insult I’ve swallowed more times than I can count is what’s known as the left-handed compliment.
What’s a Left-handed Compliment?
Also called a “backhanded compliment,” it’s a remark that sounds like praise on the surface but is wrapped around a little barb of criticism. It’s a way of smiling at you while simultaneously poking you in the ribs.
It’s passive-aggressive. It’s sly. And it often leaves you wondering, was that supposed to be nice?
The truth is, these kinds of comments are less about lifting you up and more about putting you in your place. And while they might seem harmless to the speaker, they can sting, especially if you’re used to brushing things off in the name of keeping the peace.
So, let’s talk examples.
10 Examples of Left-handed Compliments
“You do you.” Translation: I think your choice is weird, but hey, if you want to be wrong, that’s on you.
“Wow, you look great… for your age.” Translation: You look good, but let’s not forget you’re no spring chicken.
“I could never pull that off, but it works for you.” Translation: That outfit is questionable, but somehow you manage to survive it.
“You’re so brave to wear something like that.” Translation: I would never wear that because I think it’s awful.
“You’re actually pretty good at this.” Translation: I assumed you’d be terrible, but you’ve exceeded my low expectations.
“That haircut makes you look… different.” Translation: I don’t like it, but I’ll pretend I’m neutral.
“You look so much better than you used to.” Translation: You were a mess before.
“You’re so confident!” Translation: I wouldn’t have the nerve to do what you’re doing, because it’s risky (or silly).
“I wish I had the freedom to dress like you do.” Translation: You clearly don’t care what people think, and maybe you should.
“You’re surprisingly articulate.” Translation: I didn’t expect you to sound intelligent.
Nurture Your Soul
Learning to spot these backhanded compliments has been one of the most freeing parts of my journey. They no longer slip by unnoticed. And more importantly, I no longer feel the need to laugh them off to avoid making things awkward.
Peeling off the mask isn’t just about being honest with others; it’s about being honest with yourself when something doesn’t feel right.
The more I practice this, the more I realize that nurturing the soul sometimes means pruning away the voices that don’t feed it. And I think that’s a compliment worth giving… and receiving.
Whenever God prepares you for greatness, He often begins by removing everything that no longer serves your growth.
Whenever God prepares you for greatness, He often begins by removing everything that no longer serves your growth, like people, habits, places, and even comforts that once felt essential. What feels like loss is often divine pruning. He breaks down what is unstable so He can rebuild something unshakable within you. This breaking is not punishment, it is preparation. It’s God clearing the path for a stronger, wiser, more refined version of you.
Just like a caterpillar cannot become a butterfly without shedding its former self, you cannot transform by clinging to what once was. The cocoon is a place of isolation and undoing, but it’s also the sacred space where wings are formed.
You may feel like your world is collapsing, but in truth, it’s being realigned. Some people will fall away, not because they dislike you, but because they are no longer meant to go where God is taking you. They were part of your past, not your purpose. And that’s okay. As one wise man said, “It’s better to walk alone than to walk with those who are going nowhere.”
Let God do the removing, the refining, and the reshaping. What He rebuilds will be greater than what you lost.
I am hopelessly hopeful. You will discern this statement between the lines to mean I am optimistic despite what is happening all around me. I steadfastly cling to verses in the bible that speak of hope and pray that these verses will carry me through this time of sorrow.
I desperately need the comfort of the Lord as I mourn the recent passing of so many family and friends, one after another, in such a short period. Who will be next, I ask? Who will be taken from this world and into the next? I rely on the hope that I will see those who have gone from this earth again in heaven. I assume that I will make it into heaven, myself.
I assume that believing in our Savior, Jesus Christ, and living a righteous life, loving others as Jesus loves me, will spare me a place in heaven where I will be reunited with my loved ones who have left this life before me and with those who follow me.
Dear friends, my heart is heavy right now. It is heavy thinking about the wives who are now widows, the husbands who are now widowers, the parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who are now mourning. Even as an emphatic person, I cannot claim to know the pain survivors experience. No, all I can say is that my pain is unbearable on my own right now.
Sometimes I forget, but thankfully the Holy Spirit reminds me to go to the bible and read scripture to get help in recovering and gaining strength. I need to remember that no one on earth can help me through anything as much as the Lord can help me achieve balance and the ability to be strong amid the weakness of pain.
I don’t know the plans the Lord has for me. I don’t know the plans the Lord has for others. But, I do believe the Lord has a plan for us all. This is my belief. You may have a different belief, and I will still love and accept you. But, this is my belief, and I hold steadfast to it. It is, as a matter of fact, how I get through life. When things happen unexpectedly, and when I cannot find the strength to carry on, I run to the bible to read and re-read God’s promises to me. I read what He said he would do for me if only I believed in Him. And, I believe in Him, so I rest on His promises.
I have stopped counting the number of family and friends who have left this earth transitioning to heaven. God’s plan for them is not transparent to me, but God knows what He is doing. I like to think God is organizing and preparing His Kingdom. Those who went before us will already be there to warmly welcome us into the Kingdom.
If you are like me, struggling to survive the loss of a loved one, I encourage you to read the verses I am reading right now. I pray that they will help you through this time of sorrow.
Read and re-read the following scriptures. Believe they are words from God. Believe that they are words meant to comfort you and carry you through your heartache.
All verses are extracted from the New International Version (NIV).
Psalm 71:14 (New International Version)
14 As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
Romans 15:13
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Peter 5:10
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 1:13
13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:3-6
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
Romans 5:2-7
2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
God bless you today and always. Be strong in His word. Be hopeful!
How I love you, Lord! You are my defender. The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 18: 1-3
Psalm 18 is about gratitude for deliverance and victory.
When we are surrounded by evil, we should call upon the Lord. He will be with
us, giving us strength to overcome the evil forces of our enemies.
Today’s song: Defender, Copyrights: 2015 Gateway Create Publishing, Kindred Joy Music, Bethel Music Publishing. Performed by Upper Room.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
This world we live in can get us down, and it is easy to let weariness sink in to the point that it bogs us down with exhaustion, fear, anxiety, and loss of hope. But, the Lord asks us to take our burdens to Him and He will receive them from us, giving us the rest and peace we need to go on living in this life on earth and forever with Him in heaven.
I like today’s song because it is a good reminder that when I feel tired and can hardly find a way to come out of a slump, I simply need to bend my knee in prayer and lift up all of my troubles to the Lord, and when I do that, He will deliver comfort to me.
When you are feeling down and out, scripture and music can help bring you back to life.
Sometimes, when I am in a place where I am feeling down and out – when I am feeling like there is no hope, I reach out to God. In reaching out to God, I turn to scriptures because I know that scriptures are the words that hold messages from God, and when I read these messages, suddenly I begin to feel better. Suddenly, I begin to feel covered and comforted by the loving hands of the Holy Spirit.
My favorite verse to read is…
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1
Listening to worship music is another thing I do to comfort and quiet my soul. A song I enjoy listening to is a song by Lauren Daigle. It is called, “Rescue.”
I encourage you to listen to the lyrics of this song on those days when you feel like life is beating you down and on those days when you feel like you have nothing to gain.
As you listen to the lyrics of this song and as you are comforted by the instrumentation, melody, and soothing voice of Lauren Daigle, you will come to know that our Lord loves you more than you could ever imagine.
He suffered and died on a cross for all of us, so that our sins could be washed away… so that we could be forgiven… so that our souls could be cleansed, and so that we could be worthy of all the blessings He has to offer to us.
So, the next time you are feeling down and out, look to our Father to lift you up. He is your source of refuge and strength.
May the Lord bless you always.
Song: Rescue – by Lauren Daigle, Jason Ingram, and Paul Mabury (c) 2018 CentricSongs, See You At The Pub, Fellow Ships Music, Flychild Publishing, So Essential Tunes
Voice of Hope by Marlene 