When I look back at the seasons of my life marked by pain and struggle, I can see God’s hand gently at work, making me new. I may not have experienced instant healing, but I’ve experienced transformation.

For me, depression often feels like being trapped in a dark tunnel, with no clear way out. I’ve struggled with the idea that this dark season will never end, that it will always be a part of who I am. But this verse speaks to the hope that God is working during the struggle, even when it feels impossible to see. He’s making a way where there seems to be no way. He’s doing a new thing, whether I see it or not.

Since I was young, I’ve had to live with my health struggles, chronic conditions that seem to always be there, lingering and never truly leaving. Though there are moments when I feel good, it’s often followed by periods of pain, exhaustion, and frustration. In those moments, I’ve wondered, “Where is God in all of this? How can a loving God allow this much suffering?”