Devotionals for the Heart: What to do when life feels like a roller coaster

Waiting With Hope
A devotional by Casey Wayne

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” 

–Psalm 27:14 (ESV)

Not long ago I responded to a post someone shared on social media. It asked people to comment with one word that described their summer.

Intrigued by the reflective nature of the question, I pondered it for a moment and chose to respond with: Roller Coaster. It was the best way to describe the ups and downs of the previous months. There were so many beautiful opportunities, moments and highlights to the summer. Family vacation, pool time, adventures with the kids and so much more. Unfortunately, if I’m honest, I would also say I struggled to be present and enjoy it. The summer was also filled with stress, pain, fear, worry, and uncertainty. Things that brought tears to my eyes and burden to my soul. Weeks turned into months where I teetered between faith in God’s future for me and hopelessness in the waiting.

I felt the strong tension in my heart and mind as Satan tried to drag me into believing his lies and forfeiting my identity in Christ. My heart was crushing under the weight of it all and trying to have the strength, mentally and physically, to move forward. The battle raged on as I fought for what I knew was God’s truth.

Lamentations 3:25 (ESV) says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” By God’s grace, as I sought Him daily, I was reminded of His faithfulness enough to get through one day at a time. The sinking sand slowly changed to solid rock with more support to move forward with bigger steps. Healing and restoration is a process. And as much as I dislike that reality, God often does His most beautiful work in the waiting. So I rested at the feet of Jesus Christ and prayed for the Spirit to restore me. I held tightly to what Scripture says in Romans 8:5-6 (ESV) which reads, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

If you are in a season of life where you feel like you are living in that tension between who you are in Christ, His faithfulness, and the weight of what this broken world throws at us, I encourage you to bring it to the feet of Jesus. Allow the restoration and nourishment of your soul by the Holy Spirit. Be intentional in reminding yourself of God’s faithfulness in the past and set your mind on God’s Truth. Satan wants nothing more than to bring us down with lies and hopelessness—dragging us into a life of “death”. Be conscious of that battle, but know that Christ has already won and offers us a life of hope, peace and purpose for God’s glory.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the hope and peace we have in Christ. As we come to You, restore our hearts and encourage our trust in Your faithfulness. I pray for continued strength to seek you daily. In seasons of waiting, remind me of my identity in Christ and protect me from the lies of the enemy.

In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Never Been A Moment” by Micah Tyler. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Casey Wayne is a wife and mother of two children. 

She enjoys time with her family doing simple things like movie nights and cooking together.

As a devotional writer, Casey strives to share her story with relatable honesty, showing how God is faithful throughout the big and small moments of life.

She has a heart for encouraging the faith walk of other moms, praying they gain a deeper connection with our Heavenly Father.

Her family lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

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Connect with Casey:
Website: https://www.caseywayne.org/
Blog: https://peaceoffaith.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseylwayne
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Peace.of.FaithCaseyWayne