Episode Summary:
When you are crushed and broken hearted, where do you go to find hope? Jesus said that in this life we will have pain, heartbreak, and trials. So how do we deal with our pain? What does it look like to walk with God in our grief. Our guest today has experienced her share of pain including a traumatic brain injury as well as cancer diagnoses for two of her daughters. In her suffering, Linda boldly asked God tough questions like How do I keep going? God, where are you? And How do I keep trusting. In honor of Grief Awareness Day, today we’re going to be talking about Daring to Hope When Your Heart Is Shattered: Trusting God Through Pain and Loss.
Quotables from the episode:
- I'm going to dare to hope anyway. I am going to dare to hope.
- God, I can't give up. I have to keep trusting you.
- I will not give up. I will not give up. I will not give up.
- Hope does not come from a change in your circumstances, but from a change in your thinking.
- I had to look up, I had to look at him, and I had to say ‘I won't give up.’
- You are my hope, God, and my hope will be in you.
- If I got on my knees and opened my hands and surrendered to him, I got my perspective right because my eyes were lifted up to him.
- The greatest way to pour hope into your hurting heart is to sink deep into the love of God.
- Because being with you, my beloved, is the most important thing in my life.
- Peace can't be in our circumstances. It has to be in him.
Scripture References:
- Lamentations 3:21-24 “Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my inheritance;’ therefore, I will hope in him!”
- Habakkuk 2:4 “The just shall live by faith.”
- Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Recommended Resources:
- Hope for My Hurting Heart: 8 Heart Skills to Help You Cling to God and Not Give Up by Linda Dillow
- Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow
- Free Stress-Response Personality Assessment
- Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
- The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories
- YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms
- Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals
- YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1
- YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2
- Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference
- Revive & Thrive Summit 2
- Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1
- Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2
- Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.)
- YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip
- Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide
- Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win
- Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award
- Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
- Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue
Social Media Links for Host:
For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:
Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails / Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson) / LinkedIn / Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple
About Linda Dillow:
Linda Dillow is a bestselling author and a respected Bible teacher and conference speaker. She is the author of Calm My Anxious Heart and her new book Hope for My Hurting Heart. Linda is the mother of four children including one who is now with Jesus, and the grandmother of ten. She and her husband Jody make their home in Monument, Colorado.
Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson