Winter eventually gives way to spring. The sun always returns — even if it takes longer than we’d like. Life works the same way.

In this episode, we talk about walking through spiritual winters — the long seasons of hardship, disappointment, or discouragement where change feels painfully slow. What do we do when prayers seem unanswered? When circumstances don’t shift? When the valley stretches on?

Psalm 23 reminds us of something powerful: even in the darkest valley, we are not alone.

The sun may feel hidden — but God is not absent.

What We Discuss


Why difficult seasons are part of the Christian life


The danger of obsessing over our problems


How self-focus can unintentionally magnify hardship


Practical ways to stay encouraged during long valleys


Learning contentment when God says “not yet”


Paul’s example of trusting grace in weakness


Preparing spiritually before the next hard season arrives

This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today.  Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org

TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org

Full Transcript Below:

Waiting for the Sun to Shine Again

By: Aaron D’Anthony Brown

Bible Reading:

“Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4, CSB)

I was one of the many waiting for the sun to shine again after a long, cold winter. Eventually it does return, albeit more slowly than we might wish. Life can be like that sometimes, where tough situations are slow to change and improve.

When you find yourself feeling down and out, how do you respond? Do you turn to God and patiently wait for the bad times to pass? Do you develop a bad attitude to match the circumstances? Or do you just go with the flow?

As Christians, we pray to God with anticipation and hope for the good times of life. There are many of them. However, again, as Christians, we also know that God doesn’t solely promise us good times. The bad times are, in fact, a part of this miracle we call life. And they’re just as important.

In effect, life is an alternating sequence of seasons in which we experience highs and lows. Those upbeat moments are much easier to handle and appreciate. The difficulties, on the other hand, can leave us scratching our heads, wondering when God will step in to rescue us.

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Everyone at some point will be waiting for the sun to shine again.

Don’t focus on your problems.

One major mistake people often make when struggling in life is harping on their misfortunes. They pray about it, think about it, and talk about it a lot. Not only that, but our culture promotes ideas such as self-love and affirmation so often that people think good vibes will cast away their problems. Life’s not so simple. In fact, focusing on yourself often makes the problem seem bigger than it is.

So, what’s the solution? Think less about yourself and more about others. Rather than dwell on the bad things happening, spend some time thinking about the good. Go out and do good in the world. What you will discover is that sometimes the problems go away, and even if they don’t, when your mind is set on other things, the problems were never as bad as you originally thought.

Find ways to stay encouraged.

Choosing not to focus on your problems doesn’t magically make you feel better. Hard times can still leave us feeling sad, angry, and worse, suicidal. That’s why it’s important that we know how to find encouragement. Your specific ways may look different from mine, but what’s important is that we have a reliable game plan. The bad times will come. That’s a certainty. And when they do, wisdom calls for us to be prepared.

Take some time to consider where you currently find encouragement and where else you ought to go. Some helpful solutions include prayer, church, loved ones, a gratitude journal, exercise, producing art, and so much more.

Learn contentment.

Sometimes God says yes, sometimes no, and sometimes not yet. The latter can be difficult to understand, especially when you feel so justified in your pleas to the Lord. However, God is God. He’s not going to change a circumstance every time we ask. There could be a lesson for us to learn, or maybe we’re feeling the effects of sin, or both.

As Paul learned to be satisfied with God’s grace as he struggled with a thorn in the flesh, so too must we. Based on how he lived, the formula for contentment is probably something like faith plus patience plus gratitude.

Obviously, that’s contrary to our human nature and won’t come naturally. Yet, God is able to supply all of our needs and desires to see us grow. We have to do our part to seek that growth. The valleys of life will come and come again. That’s a fact. Yet, we can also be well-prepared to handle.

Waiting for the sun to shine again is not easy, but you know that it’s coming. Take hope today.

Further Reading (and Listening):

Psalm 13

Romans 8:18

John 16:33

“I Smile” by Kirk Franklin

“NO LONGER BOUND” by Forrest Frank & Hulvey

Winter eventually gives way to spring. The sun always returns &mdash; even if it takes longer than we&rsquo;d like.&nbsp;Life works the same way.
In this episode, we talk about walking through spiritual winters &mdash; the long seasons of hardship, disappointment, or discouragement where change feels painfully slow. What do we do when prayers seem unanswered? When circumstances don&rsquo;t shift? When the valley stretches on?
Psalm 23 reminds us of something powerful: even in the darkest valley, we are not alone.
The sun may feel hidden &mdash; but God is not absent.
<hr data-start="894" data-end="897">
What We Discuss
<ul data-start="919" data-end="1295">
<li data-start="919" data-end="975">
Why difficult seasons are part of the Christian life
</li>
<li data-start="976" data-end="1021">
The danger of obsessing over our problems
</li>
<li data-start="1022" data-end="1077">
How self-focus can unintentionally magnify hardship
</li>
<li data-start="1078" data-end="1135">
Practical ways to stay encouraged during long valleys
</li>
<li data-start="1136" data-end="1184">
Learning contentment when God says &ldquo;not yet&rdquo;
</li>
<li data-start="1185" data-end="1233">
Paul&rsquo;s example of trusting grace in weakness
</li>
<li data-start="1234" data-end="1295">
Preparing spiritually before the next hard season arrives
</li>
</ul>
This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. &nbsp;Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
TrinityCredit &ndash; Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. <a href="https://trinitycredit.org/">https://trinitycredit.org</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Waiting for the Sun to Shine Again
By: Aaron D&rsquo;Anthony Brown Bible Reading:
&ldquo;Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff&mdash;they comfort me.&rdquo; (Psalm 23:4, CSB)
I was one of the many waiting for the sun to shine again after a long, cold winter. Eventually it does return, albeit more slowly than we might wish. Life can be like that sometimes, where tough situations are slow to change and improve.
When you find yourself feeling down and out, how do you respond? Do you turn to God and patiently wait for the bad times to pass? Do you develop a bad attitude to match the circumstances? Or do you just go with the flow?
As Christians, we pray to God with anticipation and hope for the good times of life. There are many of them. However, again, as Christians, we also know that God doesn&rsquo;t solely promise us good times. The bad times are, in fact, a part of this miracle we call life. And they&rsquo;re just as important.
In effect, life is an alternating sequence of seasons in which we experience highs and lows. Those upbeat moments are much easier to handle and appreciate. The difficulties, on the other hand, can leave us scratching our heads, wondering when God will step in to rescue us.
If this sounds like you, you&rsquo;re not alone. Everyone at some point will be waiting for the sun to shine again.
Don&rsquo;t focus on your problems.
One major mistake people often make when struggling in life is harping on their misfortunes. They pray about it, think about it, and talk about it a lot. Not only that, but our culture promotes ideas such as self-love and affirmation so often that people think good vibes will cast away their problems. Life&rsquo;s not so simple. In fact, focusing on yourself often makes the problem seem bigger than it is.
So, what&rsquo;s the solution? Think less about yourself and more about others. Rather than dwell on the bad things happening, spend some time thinking about the good. Go out and do good in the world. What you will discover is that sometimes the problems go away, and even if they don&rsquo;t, when your mind is set on other things, the problems were never as bad as you originally thought.
Find ways to stay encouraged.
Choosing not to focus on your problems doesn&rsquo;t magically make you feel better. Hard times can still leave us feeling sad, angry, and worse, suicidal. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important that we know how to find encouragement. Your specific ways may look different from mine, but what&rsquo;s important is that we have a reliable game plan. The bad times will come. That&rsquo;s a certainty. And when they do, wisdom calls for us to be prepared.
Take some time to consider where you currently find encouragement and where else you ought to go. Some helpful solutions include prayer, church, loved ones, a gratitude journal, exercise, producing art, and so much more.
Learn contentment.
Sometimes God says yes, sometimes no, and sometimes not yet. The latter can be difficult to understand, especially when you feel so justified in your pleas to the Lord. However, God is God. He&rsquo;s not going to change a circumstance every time we ask. There could be a lesson for us to learn, or maybe we&rsquo;re feeling the effects of sin, or both.
As Paul learned to be satisfied with God&rsquo;s grace as he struggled with a thorn in the flesh, so too must we. Based on how he lived, the formula for contentment is probably something like faith plus patience plus gratitude.
Obviously, that&rsquo;s contrary to our human nature and won&rsquo;t come naturally. Yet, God is able to supply all of our needs and desires to see us grow. We have to do our part to seek that growth. The valleys of life will come and come again. That&rsquo;s a fact. Yet, we can also be well-prepared to handle.
Waiting for the sun to shine again is not easy, but you know that it&rsquo;s coming. Take hope today.
Further Reading (and Listening):
Psalm 13
Romans 8:18
John 16:33
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8SPwT3nQZ8">&ldquo;I Smile&rdquo; by Kirk Franklin</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zweTWjGa3rM">&ldquo;NO LONGER BOUND&rdquo; by Forrest Frank &amp; Hulvey</a>

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Waiting for The Sun to Shine Again

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/007b0e97-bf04-438f-a117-b3fa01244f68/transcript