More from Sophia Bricker

In the meditation for today, I wrote about my reflection on a former period of illness when I was in college. That time of looking back enabled me to see how God used small things to remind me of God’s love in a season when the larger picture seemed uncertain. Little did I know, though, that I would require another infusion during my graduate studies. And of course even now I am not promised a life free from illness, pain, or challenge. None of us are.

What that season taught me, though, is that no matter what I face or the outcome of situations, the Lord is always with me. I believe today’s verse from Isaiah reminds us of this truth, that God is present and at work in our suffering, even if we may not fully understand the ways God is involved until eternity (see Isa. 38:16-17). We could grow bitter and cold, turning away from the only One who can restore hope. Or we can choose to trust, not because we are always promised healing or release from suffering but because our Savior is worthy of our trust and love.

Though I had not expected more infusions at that time, I also did not foresee the way God would use my experience. So much of my writing has been born from the areas where I struggled most, including those times of fear and doubt as I underwent infusions and a surgery. Much of my graduate work in the realm of creative writing stemmed from what the Lord had brought me through. Even now, I write with an awareness of the ways God has carried me through the times I did not think I could continue or when despair threatened to overwhelm me. Grief and hope are regular themes I explore in my writing, whether fiction or nonfiction, including on my Substack: The Cross, a Pen, and a Page.

May none of us underestimate the ways in which the Lord will use our experiences, good and difficult, for God’s glory. And may we all look for those daily, albeit sometimes small, reminders of God’s goodness during times of trouble—like kind words, a sunset, or the timely reminder of a Bible verse.