The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Encouragement can be hard to come by when you’re going through a tough time. Maybe the weight of your stress and anxiety is pulling you down this week. Perhaps you’re going through a period of your life with sadness or loneliness. Whatever you are going through, there is always hope in the Lord.

There wasn’t much hope for God’s people during the time of Zephaniah. Zephaniah’s primary target for God’s message of judgment, the nation of Judah, had fallen into grievous sin under the reign of their king, Manasseh. Zephaniah’s prophecy shouted out for godliness and purity in a nation sinful to its core. The people of Judah had long since turned their backs on God, not only in their personal lives but also in their worship. 

Nevertheless, Zephaniah still provided a glimmer of hope in the final chapter of this Old Testament book. Although judgment for sin is coming, the people of Israel will eventually be blessed by God’s presence among his people. Gold is refined by fire and pressure turns coal into beautiful diamonds. The world we live in brings hardship, but God provides healing and restoration.

Despite the hardships, God is still there for his people. We can always call on him when we are feeling distressed. We can rest easy knowing that he gave his son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and give us salvation through his resurrection.

No matter where we are in life, we can always turn to God when we need him. His love is never too far gone, His grace is always enough, and His forgiveness can heal us. We can always use that unconditional love in our lives. Let us share that hopeful message with others.

This week, let us seek after God in the hard times. If you’ve never experienced God’s Grace, then you can turn to him and find healing in the midst of your troubles and share that love with those around you.