“Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.”
Psalm 119:73 NIV

“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.'”
Isaiah 43:1 NIV

God sees us and knows us, individually. God made each of us unique, valued, and with purpose.

“May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.”
 Psalm 119:74 NIV

“but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31 NIV

Life is hard. We put our hope in God.

“I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”
 Psalm 119:75 NIV

“See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland,
to give a drink to my people, my chosen,
the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.”
Isaiah 43:19-21 NIV 

This life has suffering.
We increase our tolerance to sit in discomfort.
We can feel all the feelings without the need to personalize the stories.
It isn’t happening to you because there is something about you that deserves it.
Life has hard seasons.
We put our hope in God.
And we know that affliction is a teacher and God uses it to help us grow.

“May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.”
 Psalm 119:76 NIV

“Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you shall not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 NIV

God is love.

“Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.”
Psalm 119:77 NIV

“For the Lord comforts his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
Isaiah 49:13 NIV

God is love and compassion. May we practice self-compassion. That is simply holding space for our thoughts and feelings without shaming them. It’s taking the time to properly heal and purge them.

“May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;
but I will meditate on your precepts.”
 Psalm 119:78 NIV

“For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.”
Isaiah 61:8 NIV

God is just. It is easy to want to retaliate, but we can let God take care of it.

“May those who fear you turn to me,
those who understand your statutes.
May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,
that I may not be put to shame.”
119:79-80 NIV