Wednesday, November 2, 2022

November 2, 2022

In retrospect, 2021 was one of the most difficult years of my life. I struggled mentally, physically, and spiritually. I experienced extreme depression and anxiety, and battled chronic illness. I found myself isolated and alone. Some days, it was too difficult to leave the house because of how anxious I felt. I isolated myself and became incredibly lonely, which only worsened my depression as the year went on. I felt completely alone, like I had no hope left.

I slowly succumbed to bitterness. I became incredibly angry at my circumstances and wondered if God truly saw and cared about what I was going through. I imagine that this is how Ezekiel and the Israelites must have felt in exile after being conquered by Babylon—incredibly alone and hopeless.

I felt conquered by my circumstances and had lost sight of God’s word. While I considered myself a Jesus follower, I focused on my pain rather than on God’s promises to redeem and restore us, even during situations that seem impossible.

Ezekiel 37:4-6 (NIV)

4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

In this passage, God does the impossible: he breathes life into lifeless bones! He showed the Israelites that, while they may temporarily feel lost, he would restore their nation and bring about hope.

In 2021, I felt spiritually depleted—I was among the dry bones. I needed someone to fulfill me and breathe new life into me. Thankfully, God did just that. He is the only one who can fulfill us and restore us back to life. I remember one night in my bedroom, crying out to God and finally surrendering my despair to him completely.

I quickly saw my life start to change. His Word and promises gave me the inspiration to move forward and face my depression and anxiety. He gave me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and face my fears. I went back to church regularly and was given the precious gift of meeting many new godly friends and mentors. When I reflect upon how my life changed so drastically in one year, I see how God revived my soul and gave me a new life.

Let us never forget that we serve an awesome, powerful God who can bring us back to life, no matter what we are facing.

Questions:

Was there a time in your life when you felt like you were in the valley of the dry bones? How did it affect your relationship with God?

How does Ezekiel’s story relate to the hope we have in Jesus?

Next Steps:

Read the full passage of Ezekiel 37:1-14 as a reminder of how God can bring about hope when it seems like all hope is lost.

Reflect upon a time when God breathed new life into a situation where you felt hopeless. How did God’s work and spirit help you face that experience?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us that you can breathe new life into lifeless things. Just as you brought the dry bones back to life, you also renew us with hope through your promises every day. Help us to surrender to you any challenges that we are facing and trust you to bring about hope in these lifeless situations. You are a good God who can overcome the impossible. In Jesus’ name, amen.