All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us. Hebrews 11:39-40

 

Have you ever wondered how much better life would be if only this thing or that thing hadn’t happened to you?

 

By her mid-twenties, Brook had already had a hard life. She’d experienced fear and physical abuse as a child in a home with frequent domestic violence. She met Jesus at 27, giving new hope, meaning, and joy to her life! But Brook often wondered how much better life would be if only she hadn’t experienced such fear, trauma, and abuse.

 

Every person who comes to Jesus brings a past and present littered with pain and brokenness. And as life changing as our experience is meeting Jesus and discovering His love and hope, our restoration and healing journeys unfold over a lifetime.

 

In the Bible book of Hebrews, we’re told about people who lived lives of tremendous faith and struggle and didn’t receive all the answers in their lifetime. It says, “All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us” (Hebrews 11:39).

 

There are countless testimonies from people who look back on even the worst experiences and say they see how God has used it all for good they’d never imagined. In a life that’s surrendered to God, His deep work of healing becomes a definitive part of who you are and how you relate to God. It fuels love for helping others and brings an understanding of God’s goodness.

 

Fix your attention on Jesus, the one who knows the depths of pain, has conquered and promises to perfect your faith and fulfill His promises fully.