This comes from a podcast Germán and I host in Spanish called De Eso Se Trata, where we speak openly about life and faith. But what I’m sharing with you today is more than a podcast reflection, it’s something I’ve been praying over and living through. I believe it’s a word of encouragement for many of us right now.
 

We titled the episode "Standing Firm Through the Hard Times", because let’s face it: life isn’t always easy. Difficult seasons are a reality. All of us, at some point, face moments of pain, loss, disappointment, or silence. These seasons are not easy, and they often come without warning. Maybe you’re in one right now. If so, I want to speak directly to your heart: you are not alone, and God has not forgotten you.

Sometimes hardship comes as part of life in a broken world. Other times, we’re walking through the consequences of our own choices. But whatever the cause, whether it’s a trial God is using to shape us, or a result of our own decisions, the invitation is the same: run to the Lord, not away from Him. His heart is open, even when yours is hurting. You don’t need to be “better” before coming to Him. You just need to come.
 

In moments like these, our emotions can be overwhelming. They tell us we’ve failed, or that God is silent, or that things will never change. But our hope isn’t in what we feel, it’s in what we know to be true. And what is true never changes: God’s character is unshakable. His faithfulness is constant.
 

“But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.”  Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV)
 

That promise is personal. God doesn’t say if you go through the fire, He says when. And when you do, He will be with you. The waters won’t overwhelm you. The fire won’t consume you. Why? Because you belong to Him. Your pain doesn’t have the final word, your identity in Christ does.
 

And it doesn’t stop there. Psalm 84:6 gives us another powerful promise:

“As they pass through the Valley of Baka (the valley of tears)
    they make it a place of springs.”
 

Only God can take a valley of sorrow and turn it into a well of life. He can use the most painful places to draw us closer to His presence and to bring healing, not just to us, but to others through us. What feels like the end may be the beginning of something deeper.
 

But what do we do while we wait? When nothing is changing yet? When answers haven’t come? That’s when we anchor ourselves in who God is, not in how we feel. We choose, by faith, to believe in His goodness.
 

And this is where I want to invite you into a declaration. One that I’ve returned to many times in my own life. A declaration not based on circumstances, but on truth:

“Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights”

Habakkuk 3:17–19 (NIV)

 
Even if nothing looks the way you hoped—rejoice!

Even if the answer hasn’t come—rejoice!

Even if everything seems empty—declare that God is still your strength!

 
Let this be the posture of our hearts: “I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will always be on my lips” (Psalm 34:1).

Not just when everything is going right, but in every season, because God is good in every season.

 
So wherever you find yourself today, I pray you’ll stay close to the Lord. He is your refuge, your strength, and your peace. And as you stand firm, you’ll find that He is more than enough.
 
With all my love,
Karina