I’ve often watched the show “Intervention.” As I was watching some time ago, I saw how family members reluctantly attended their first family member addiction recovery support group. Family members talked about the years spent trying to fix an addiction issue, even forcing solutions when necessary. Nothing worked, but that didn’t stop them from trying harder. Their minds spun with hundreds of worried worst-case scenarios, including begging, bargaining, and at times a barrage of angry words. In some instances, their family situation declined, they became desperate and was losing hope fast.

Have you ever been in a situation where you experienced mental suffering trying to fix a family situation to the point where you finally gave up, thus feeling like a failure? I know I have. However, God knows how to redeem our heartache and give us more than the world tries to take away. God used what seemed like failure and suffering to transform my faith.

In time I shifted away from trying to escape from my mental suffering and I began to see how God was sustaining me in my mental suffering. God isn’t the cause of the heartache in our world. But as we trust God in situations we can’t control, He transforms our mental suffering into strength to endure, endowing us with perseverance and Christ-like character as well.

We’ve all had family dynamics where we felt the need to intervene because we hoped for a “happy ending.” Oftentimes our “happy ending” is based off our perception, and how we manipulate the situation to get the “happy ending” outcome “we” hoped for.

While we like to think that hope is found in a happy ending, Romans 5:3-4  illuminates the path to hope. As the Apostle Paul defines the progression of hope, we see heartache is often the unwanted starting place.

The key to experiencing the hope that we’re promised in Romans 5:3-4, is willingness.

Are you willing to stop trying to control what and who you can’t change and let God lead?

I know, letting go isn’t as easy as it sounds. Letting go means there are no guarantees.

 Letting go means we have to admit we aren’t in control. Letting go means we have to give loved ones the room to make their own decisions, even if those decisions are unhealthy.

Yes, all of that may seem scary. But clinging to our illusion of “trying to fix it” isn’t bringing us hope or peace, either. Ultimately, God wants to do more in our lives. He wants to use our situations to strengthen us in His hope and shine His glory thorough our lives.

God wants to lift that heavy burden from our lives and give us the blessings of perseverance, Christ-like character and hope. We have to take the first step and be willing to let go.

If we let go of our fear, God will give us FAITH.

If we let go or our panic, God will give us PEACE.

If we let go of our expectations, God will give us His DIRECTIONS.

If we let go of our hurt, God will give us HEALING.

If we let go of our guilt and shame, God will give us GRACE.

If we let go of our “not enough,” God will release His ABUNDANCE.

If we let go of our failure, God will give us FORGIVENESS.

If we let go of our pain, God will give us PURPOSE.

We all have problems and people that we can’t fix, but we can encourage each other!

Are you willing to surrender yourself and your situation over to God? Are you willing to experience the perseverance Christ-like character and hope that’s promised to us?

PEARLStoPONDER: There are so many things in life that we wouldn’t even think about trying to fix. Do you walk around feeling guilty that you couldn’t fix those things? Absolutely not! So, allow God to strengthen you to sit still and learn how to stop trying to fix things{people} you can’t fix, without feeling guilty.

Psalm 46:10-- “Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!”

Romans 5:3-4-- ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Philippians 4:6-7-- 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7-- casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.