This summer has been overwhelming in more ways than I can count. To name some examples: I made a big move from a home I had been living in for almost 9 years into a small apartment (and having to downsize!); did contract work that required me to travel weeks at a time and often worked 60-70+ hour weeks; and had a rough go of COVID-19 (though thankfully I was vaccinated, so while symptoms were bad, I did not need medical attention — just over the counter medications).

Reminding myself that such an intense moment of activity in my life was only a passing state of being and that things would eventually calm down to a more “normal” or slower rhythm was extremely important for several reasons.

One, it helped me maintain my endurance, as I understood this was not my typical rhythm of life (a sprint, not a marathon!). Two, it helped remind me that how I was pushing myself to “be” (such as consistently working overtime while anticipating a huge move and dealing with sickness) was unsustainable and that I needed to understand that my body, mind and soul had limits.

Facing one’s limitations, acknowledging our constraints, being held back by our bodies and our circumstances (including other people), is no easy feat. Yet, when we humble ourselves before God and let go of the need to control that which we cannot, we can find the gift of contentment.

Being overwhelmed (and at times struggling with it) did not take away my ability to enjoy life this summer. I am extremely grateful for all the opportunities that I had to make new connections and shed old ones. I was able to travel to new places and experience things I had never encountered before. I could heal wounds and recapture affirmation through connection and skill.

I want to be cautious not to sound like I am uplifting or idealizing suffering because that is not my goal. Instead, I want to highlight the fact that I was able to find meaning and experience things in a way that in the end builds up my appreciation towards God’s enduring goodness in our lives. Perhaps this sounds like a “duh” moment for some. Maybe, for others, it’s an oversimplification of how to approach the hardships of life, especially at a time like this. I can assure you, though, my examples are just a few of the things I had going on in the past few months. 

I do not wish to assume I know what you, dear reader, are going through. Yet, I know with all that I am that God is with you. God is with you when you struggle, when you are wronged and when you are suffering. God is with you when you need to repent, when humility needs to find you, when growth and learning still need to take place. God is with you when you are angry and when you curse your friend. God is with you when you forgive your enemy, yet choose to keep your distance.

You are never alone, and God always has someone out there that you can reach out for help. Someone will listen to you, love you and support you. The journey might be a struggle, and you might not understand everything that happens along the way But you can enjoy the journey if you trust that this too is temporary, and that God is indeed with you.

The Bible has many characters whose lives serve as examples of people that struggled, yet humbled themselves before God. Here are five examples of biblical personalities with life examples of struggle and humility before God.

1. David

King David is often spoken as a biblical hero and often praised for his gift of dance and music. Yet, Psalm 51 was written after he had sent one of his most loyal soldiers to the battlefront to be killed so that he could have his wife Bathsheba. In the psalm, David humbles himself before God, acknowledging the wrong he has done. David is by no means a favorite of mine, but I give him credit for his recognition and effort. I also see the appeal: If God loved even this man that was so flawed and also blessed him, I can’t be too far from God’s grace!

2. Mary

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a woman who truly sacrificed a lot, suffered and understood that many things would be beyond her control. An absolutely beautiful (and rare) window into Mary’s humble posture towards God can be read in Luke 1:46-55. This text, known as the Magnificat, not only shows Mary’s understanding of the impact of her new-found pregnancy for her own life, but the impact it would have over all of the people God cares for.

3. Paul

Saul, later known as the apostle Paul, was the most unusual of individuals to be humbling themselves before God. As a zealous Jew, he persecuted Christians when suddenly he lost his vision on the road to Damascus, which was restored through Ananias three days later (Acts 9). After this experience, Paul became a believer of Jesus. Yet, at first he still had an arrogant tone that he recalled later in life by saying, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9).

4. The bleeding woman

In all three synoptic gospels (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48), we see the story of the woman who bled for 12 years, without relief. The kind of physical discomfort in addition to the shame and social outcasting that she had to endure are hard to compare in today’s society. Yet, she is acknowledged as being so faithful that she is healed despite breaking social rules. The compassion and empathy from Jesus towards the woman show us that no rules are more important than our wellbeing.

5. The Canaanite/Greek woman

Whatever your interpretation of this story found in both Matthew 15:22-28 and Mark 7:24-30, one thing is clear: The Canaanite/Greek woman receives healing from Jesus. Although specific details in the gospels differ, such as the woman being Canaanite vs. Greek, the bulk of the story and message are consistent in both passages.

Jesus calls the “foreign” woman a dog, initially ignoring her. However, upon the woman’s humble insistence, Jesus acknowledges the woman, praises her faith and heals the woman’s daughter. Here, despite cultural undertones of ethnocentrism and bias, God shows us that we are all equally important.