Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11, ESV)
Wesley Bryan is well-known in golf for several things: 1) He won multiple times on the Korn Ferry Tour; he also had a T4, T4, and T7 before winning the RBC Heritage in 2017; and 2) He and his brother, George, have a YouTube channel, Bryan Bros Golf, that has enjoyed over 75 million views.
But many might not know, “The world ain’t always sunshine and rainbows” for Wesley. In 2019, he went under the knife to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Another setback occurred in 2021 when he had wrist surgery to repair a tendon.
We might be forgiven for thinking he would be down in the dumps about the repeated setbacks, but as it turns out, he saw the silver lining in both injuries. This “forced” sabbatical sent him home to be with his wife and two daughters, Elizabeth, Hadley, and Winnie.
It is common to hear followers of Christ talk about “mountain-top experiences,” those seasons of life when the Spirit of Christ seems near and everything is going gangbusters. We also hear about the seasons of life, usually described as “valleys,” when everything seems designed to wreak havoc on our lives.
Some psalms in the Psalter depict David crying out from deep within, appealing to Yahweh for the strength to endure or overcome the challenging seasons of life and the dark forces of evil. The Puritans referred to the Psalter as “the soul’s medicine chest.”
No one goes through life unscathed! We all carry the invisible scar tissue to prove it. Among the many significant questions that arise during and after the turbulent chapters of life, few are as essential as, “How do I weather these storms and re-enter the battle with greater confidence that God is truly in charge?”
It is relatively easy to say, “God is Sovereign and oversees every detail of my life.” However, it becomes more complicated when the unrelenting, gale-force winds of adversity batter us seemingly without mercy.
Given the right audience of trusted family or friends, we can all share the stories of “the dark night of the soul.” But the question remains: How does anyone resurface from the raging battles of life better, stronger, and more resolute to trust that “…for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, ESV). All things? Really?
When our son, Jonathan, was bedridden for many years, I lost courage more times than I care to admit. But through prayer and reminding myself of the many promises of God, I would “get my second wind” and soldier on. God’s grace always sustained us, even in the darkest moments.
Friedrich Nietzsche coined the now-famous phrase, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” He likely meant something like, “When viewed in the right light and committed to staying strong in the face of adversity, one will come out stronger.”
Countless life stories mock that sentiment. Life can and will throw things at us that can break even the most determined, including Nietzsche.
Motivational quotes can help many in the short term, but when the tsunamis of hell crash against us, we need the One who made the winds and rains to join us in our boat, calm the storm, or give us the strength to endure.
We may never understand the “why” of our pain in this life, but our Maker and Redeemer promises that we will once we are on the other side of the veil. That’s biblical hope that never disappoints.
Prayer: Jesus! Breathe on us that we might gain strength to face the battles of life.