We’ve all been there. The job you thought was yours slips away. The marriage you prayed for falls apart. The dream you nurtured quietly in your heart never seems to take shape. Disappointment is such a universal experience that you almost wonder why it still catches us off guard.

And yet, when it hits, it cuts deep. It leaves us wondering, Where is God in this? Why didn’t He come through the way I hoped?

If you’ve ever whispered those words through tears, take heart: you’re not alone. Scripture is filled with people who knew disappointment intimately. But it’s also filled with the faithfulness of God meeting His children in their lowest moments. Today, let’s walk through how we can bring our disappointments to Him, and how we can find the strength to rise again.

1. Disappointment Is Part of the Faith Journey

Sometimes, when life doesn’t go as planned, we’re quick to blame ourselves. We wonder, Did I miss God’s will? Did I pray wrong? Am I not good enough? I found myself asking these very questions after my divorce.
But disappointment is not foreign to God’s people.

David longed to build a temple for God, but God said no. Moses led faithfully for decades, only to be barred from entering the Promised Land. Paul begged for his thorn in the flesh to be removed, and God responded not with deliverance, but with grace. Even Jesus faced disappointment – His closest friends fell asleep while He prayed in Gethsemane, and the crowds who once adored Him later cried out for His crucifixion.

Their stories remind us: disappointment doesn’t mean we are out of God’s favour. It simply means we are human, living in a broken world, walking a road where even the most faithful saints have stumbled.

2. Be Honest With God

One of the most healing steps we can take is to name our disappointment before God. Too often we plaster on a smile, convincing ourselves that “good Christians” shouldn’t feel let down. But denial isn’t faith; it’s avoidance.

The psalmists show us a better way. “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” Psalm 13:1 ESV. Or this cry: “My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42:3 ESV).
God isn’t threatened by our honesty. In fact, He invites it. When we pour out our disappointment to Him – our confusion, our grief, even our anger – we open the door for His comfort to enter.

Maybe today you need to write your own psalm. Tell God exactly what you hoped for, how it hurts to let it go, and where you feel lost. That kind of raw honesty is not weakness; it’s worship.

3. Remember Who He Is

Here’s the tricky thing about disappointment: it doesn’t just bruise our hearts; it clouds our view of God. The enemy whispers, He’s not really good. He doesn’t care. You can’t trust Him with your future.

But disappointment must drive us deeper into God’s character, not away from it. When feelings scream otherwise, we anchor ourselves in truth:

•  God is faithful. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.” Lamentations 3:22 ESV
• God is wise. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways.” Isaiah 55:9 ESV
• God is good. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble” Nahum 1:7 ESV

We may not see the full picture, but we can trust the One who does.

4. Let God Reframe the Story

Sometimes what feels like the end is really God’s redirection. Joseph knew what it was to be disappointed: betrayed, imprisoned, forgotten. And yet, years later, he could look his brothers in the eye and say, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20 ESV).

Could it be that your disappointment is not wasted either? That delay may be preparation. That closed door may be protection. That broken dream may be the soil for something even better to grow.

It doesn’t make the pain disappear, but it shifts our perspective from despair to expectation.

5. Lift Your Eyes to Eternal Hope

At its core, disappointment reminds us that this world will never fully satisfy. If every prayer was answered exactly as we wanted, if every dream came true, we might forget that we are pilgrims passing through.

Hebrews 11 speaks of those who “did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance” (v. 13 NIV). Their unmet expectations kept their eyes fixed on a better country – a heavenly one.

Your hope is not tied to this moment, this job, this relationship, or this dream. Your hope is tied to Jesus – the One who bore ultimate disappointment on the cross so you could inherit eternal joy.

6. Picking Yourself Up: Practical Steps

So, what do you do when disappointment lingers like a heavy shadow? Here are some simple, biblical practices:

1.  Pray honestly. Pour out your heart to God (see Psalm 62:8).
2. Cling to Scripture. Let His Word anchor you when emotions shift (see Psalm 119:105).
3. Lean on community. Don’t walk alone; allow others to carry your burdens (see Galatians 6:2).
4. Choose worship. Praise doesn’t erase the pain, but it lifts your eyes to God’s power (see Acts 16:25).
5. Look for redemption. Ask God how He might use even this disappointment for His glory (see Romans 8:28).

Rising after disappointment doesn’t mean pretending you’re fine. It means holding God’s hand as He leads you step by step toward healing and hope.

An Invitation to Hope

Friend, if you’re reading this through the lens of fresh disappointment, I want you to know this: you are not forgotten. God has not overlooked you. He has not abandoned your story.

Take a moment today to write down your disappointment. Name it clearly. Then, beside it, write one unshakable truth about God’s character. Let that truth become the banner over your pain. Because while disappointment may have the loudest voice right now, God has the final word.

A Prayer for the Disappointed Heart

Lord, I bring my disappointment before You today. You know the places where my heart feels heavy, where dreams have slipped away, where prayers seem unanswered. I confess that sometimes I struggle to trust You in the waiting. But today, I choose to believe You are still good, still faithful, still writing my story. Wrap me in Your comfort. Teach me to rest in Your presence. Heal what is broken, and use even this disappointment to draw me closer to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Final Encouragement

Disappointment doesn’t get the last say. Jesus does. And in Him, your story is still unfolding with purpose, hope, and glory. One day, every tear will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4). Until then, let disappointment lead you closer to the only One who never fails.

Marthe Badibanga

A volunteer blogger whose passion is to see the people of God become all that the LORD intended them to be in their personal relationships with Him that overflow into their daily lives.

The post When Disappointment Strikes: Finding Hope in God’s Word appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Interview with Author Sister K: “Blessed with Laughter: Journey to Seeing Her Eyes” appeared first on Cup of Faith.

There’s a kind of inner split that few Christians talk about openly, but many of us feel at some point in our walk with God. I’ve come to call it the great schism. It’s that deep, often painful disconnect between what we know is true about God – because the Bible tells us so – and what our current reality is screaming back at us.

You know the tension. You’ve probably felt it too.

We say with conviction that God is good. We proclaim that He is our provider. Our healer. Faithful. Present. Yet there are seasons in life when those truths feel painfully hollow. Not because they aren’t true, but because they don’t seem to be true for us – right now.

I lived in that space for quite a while.

When the Mind Knows but the Heart Breaks

A few years ago, I was walking through the quiet, aching valley of infertility. Month after month of hope followed by heartbreak. I prayed. I fasted. I believed. I declared. I did all the “right” things. But the silence from heaven grew louder, more deafening, more disorienting. My theology said God is good. My heart whispered, “But is He good to me?”

That’s the kind of question that feels scandalous to admit out loud in Christian circles. But it’s the one that kept me up at night. I knew the verses. I could quote James 1:17 in my sleep: “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” I believed in the goodness of God like I believed in gravity. But in the middle of my pain, those truths started to feel distant, even cruel. What kind of good God withholds something so good?

That’s when I realised I was in a spiritual tug-of-war between what I believed and what I experienced.

The Tension is Biblical

If you’re there right now, I want you to know that you’re not alone and you’re not faithless. In fact, you’re standing in a long tradition of believers who have wrestled with the same kind of dissonance.

Think of Job. A man who lived blamelessly, who honoured God in every way, yet lost everything – his children, his wealth, even his health. His friends were convinced his suffering was because of hidden sin. But Job knew differently. He just didn’t understand why a good God would allow so much pain. At one point, Job said, “Though he slay me, I will hope in him” (Job 13:15 ESV). That’s faith in the face of profound confusion.

Or take David. In the Psalms, he pours out his frustration, saying things like “Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 ESV). These aren’t neat, Sunday-school prayers. They’re raw cries from a man wrestling with the seeming gap between God’s character and God’s actions.

Even Jesus, in His humanity, cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 ESV). If the Son of God could feel abandoned, could feel the tension between truth and experience, then surely our doubts don’t disqualify us.

Faith Is Not Denial

Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that faith means always having the right answers or always feeling hopeful. But biblical faith isn’t about denial; it’s about holding onto God even when everything in us wants to let go.

It’s choosing to say, “God, I don’t understand what You’re doing. I don’t like how this feels. But I still believe You are who You say You are.”

That’s not weak faith. That’s deep faith.

It’s faith that has been tested in the fire of disappointment and has chosen, again and again, to trust, even with a limp, even with tears, even with clenched fists.

So How Do We Reconcile the Gap?

This is the question I wrestled with the most. How do we reconcile what we know about God with what we experience when the two seem worlds apart?

I don’t claim to have all the answers, but here’s what I’ve learned – and what I’m still learning:

1. Acknowledge the Gap Honestly

Pretending everything’s fine doesn’t help. God isn’t threatened by our honesty. In fact, He invites it. The Psalms are full of brutal transparency, and yet God called David “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22). Lament is a biblical language. It makes space for grief and faith to coexist.

2. Anchor Yourself in the Bigger Story

When we focus only on our present pain, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. But Scripture reminds us that we’re part of an eternal story – a story where suffering isn’t meaningless and where God *will* make all things new.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Notice it doesn’t say all things are good. Infertility is not good. Suffering is not good. But somehow, mysteriously, God works through it all to bring about a greater good we may not fully see on this side of eternity.

3. Let Your Questions Lead You Closer

For a while, I feared that questioning God would create distance. But I found that my most honest questions became a bridge to deeper intimacy with Him. When I stopped pretending and started praying prayers like, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24), I found a God who didn’t rebuke me but instead met me with tenderness.

He doesn’t always give us explanations. But He always gives us Himself.

4. Remember That Jesus Entered Our Pain

One of the most comforting truths for me has been this: Jesus knows. He’s not a distant deity watching us suffer from afar. He entered into our broken world. He wept. He grieved. He felt abandoned. He suffered.

Hebrews 4:15 says we have a High Priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses.” Jesus is not only our Saviour – He is our companion in suffering.

5. Choose to Worship Anyway

This one was the hardest for me. Worship felt hypocritical when I was full of doubt. I remember walking out of a service once during worship because I simply couldn’t do it. But slowly, I learned that worship isn’t just a response to good news – it’s a declaration of trust. It’s saying, “God, even in the dark, I choose to believe You’re still worthy.”

There’s a kind of worship that only comes from the valley. A song that only rises from broken places. And I believe that kind of worship is precious to God.

Walking With a Limp

I didn’t get the answer I prayed for in the way I expected. My story didn’t unfold the way I hoped. But I can say now, years later, that something beautiful happened in the brokenness.

My faith grew deeper. Not neater but deeper.

I still believe God is good. But now, that belief isn’t rooted in what He gives or doesn’t give. It’s rooted in *who He is*. And that’s a shift that suffering often brings.

The great schism between what we know and what we experience may never close entirely this side of heaven. It hasn’t for me. But God is not asking us to resolve the tension. He’s inviting us to trust Him within it.

Even when the prayers go unanswered. Even when the healing doesn’t come. Even when the silence lingers.
God is still good. And somehow, in ways we can’t always see, He is working all things together – not just to fix our story, but to redeem it.

Friend, you don’t have to pretend. You don’t have to tie a bow on your pain or resolve all your doubts to stay in God’s presence.

He welcomes you as you are. Confused. Tired. Hopeful. Hurting. Faithful. Doubting.

And He walks with you in the in-between.

The great schism doesn’t mean your faith is broken. It means your faith is being forged.

If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear your story. Have you ever walked through a season where God’s goodness felt out of reach? How did you navigate the tension between what you know and what you experienced?

Let’s create a space where honesty and faith can coexist.

Because they can.

Marthe Badibanga

A volunteer blogger whose passion is to see the people of God become all that the LORD intended them to be in their personal relationships with Him that overflow into their daily lives.

The post The Great Schism: When What We Believe About God Doesn’t Match What We Experience appeared first on Cup of Faith.

It took my husband and I months and maybe years to get this right. Finances are a mammoth adult responsibility. The Bible addresses the stewardship of wealth directly and indirectly across the Old and New Testaments. It’s a topic that I’ve prayed over continually. But there was one key scripture that really unlocked the rest of the game for us.

Proverbs 27:23-27:

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,

    give careful attention to your herds;

24 for riches do not endure forever,

    and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears

    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,

    and the goats with the price of a field.

27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family

    and to nourish your female servants.

It took hearing this advice from multiple people in both secular and Christian settings for it to eventually sink in.

For anything to change we have to know what we’re dealing with.

We have to know our numbers.

Specifically, we have to pay attention to what is currently happening.

Not daydreaming about how much money it would be nice to have to buy the ultimate family home. Not regretting the past use of credit resulting in debt payments. Not messing around on ChatGPT to figure out a killer investment plan. What’s happening right now?

There’s a principle to this proverb. The right steps towards success start with paying attention. It’s as simple as that. God needs us to be honest with the current situation and listen to the story our money is telling us right now.

For us, knowing “the condition of your flocks” meant careful financial tracking of our expenditure. This is one habit that has drastically changed the game. We’ve tweaked it over time and we don’t get it perfect every month but most months it looks like this:

Stage 1: Forecasting

1. Identifying upcoming expenses
2. Planning for unknown expenses
3. Identifying income for the month (as a freelance earner, I have my income ready a month ahead of time so that I have the month to collect my invoices and send it over to the household bank account by the 1st)

Stage 2: Budgeting

1. Putting these all into a spreadsheet before the first pay day. Together. Some items in the budget are completely fixed: debit orders. The rest are moderately fixed: miscellaneous, groceries, travel. We also have a small no judgement fun spend we allocate to each other as pocket money. It turns out it’s smarter to have as few categories as possible.
2. We withdraw cash for groceries. This has honestly revolutionised my spending. This wouldn’t be a groundbreaking strategy for everyone. Some people find physical cash a hassle. Some people are really good at digital tracking. But using the ‘envelope system’ for just this one spending category has helped us tremendously. I split the withdrawals into 3: Day 1 – 10 gets about 45% of the grocery budget to include pantry items for the month. Day 11 – 20 gets 30% and Day 21 – 30 gets 25% as there are usually leftovers in the fridge and freezer.

Stage 3: Live Tracking

1. I track three times a month and let my husband know what we have remaining in the ‘unfixed’ spending categories (travel, groceries, miscellaneous). This has helped us to stay on the same page, encourage each other, and keep our spending habits conscious rather than be at the mercy of our whims.
2. We have an agreed cut off amount for big purchases. If the purchase is over a certain number, and it’s not expected, we discuss it with each other prior to purchasing.

There are other things we do too of course, in the vein of long term financial planning and risk management. But the wisdom of God is that a long-term vision goes hand in hand with today’s work. 

Has God ever given you a big breakthrough in the way you handle your personal finances? Share it in the comments below!

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post One scripture completely changed our personal finances appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Being the peacemaker isn’t always peaceful. As a former lay-counsellor who has always felt a calling to commiserate and be a safe, judgement-free space for people, it quite often happens that family and friends come to me to talk about their problems. The prospect of being even just a small help means that I don’t mind this in the least. That is, until the problem just happens to be a mutual friend or family member in conflict with the person confiding in me — especially when said mutual friend or family member has also come to confide in me.

Such an instance has happened to me recently, where the parties involved were all very close to one another, but unresolved past feelings had bubbled to the surface over a disagreement, and events led all of them to come to me to vent their frustration. I found myself confronted with two choices: either I could avoid getting involved, or I could take charge and suggest that everyone come together to talk it out. Remembering scripture, I chose the latter for in James it is said that “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”  James 3:18 NIV

However, in orchestrating the open communication to heal the relationships, something was said which was misunderstood by one of the people involved, who then began to mistakenly suspect that I had betrayed their trust and relayed information that was not mine to share. Suddenly, I was the target of anger and hurt, and I truly regretted getting involved.

While thankfully it was resolved quite quickly, it was not the first time that I had been caught in this kind of situation, and it’s clearly a test I will need to keep writing until I get it right. However, what I have learnt, is that there is a time to be a peacemaker, and there is a time to hold our peace: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 NIV

But how do we know which one is appropriate for which instance? As always, only the truth of scripture can answer that for us and most of the time, this is directly related to our intentions; are we serving God’s agenda, or our own?

When action leads to peace

While I can’t yet give an answer as to whether my involvement in the above incident was God’s agenda or my own, I can say that being the target of anger however briefly made me feel mildly persecuted as it was not based on truth, and this led me to reflect on Jesus.

For Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker. He came to make peace between humankind and God, but this was not done peacefully. He spoke out against the Pharisees calling them hypocrites, he spoke up for tax collectors and adulterers, over-turned tables in the temple and even said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10: 34-35 NIV), all ultimately leading to his torture and death on the cross.

Oftentimes, we will be persecuted for being peacemakers especially if the conflict is within a worldly context, but we must trust in God for being our ultimate vindicator. For Jesus did not vindicate himself when he stood before Herod or Pontius Pilate, and he did not try to vindicate himself by proving his deity to his accusers. But through his death he restored humankind to God and he was ultimately vindicated when he rose from the dead, the empty tomb a reassurance of the complete redemption and restored peace of our relationship with God, but more importantly, the evidence that he was who he claimed to be. But despite our joy and celebration of this event, it came at a great cost in the form of persecution.

When inaction leads to peace

Earlier I mentioned when Jesus stood silent didn’t try to defend himself against His accusers, this was an example of complete surrender to the father’s will. He did not need to defend himself. For as God, He knew His righteousness, in the father’s will He knew peace, and in the knowledge of His purpose to restore humankind to God, He went willingly.

Similarly, God will call us to speak when it will cause our own persecution, but there are times when He will also call us to be silent. When He calls us to be silent, it is normally a call for inner reflection of our agenda to speak out. Sometimes we believe we are speaking the truth to fight for what is right, but our real agenda, is something more self-serving. We are offended, or we are simply angered by someone else’s action because it presses a self-righteous button, and we want to display this by bringing someone else to task, which is especially common in church relationships.

While it can be just as difficult to call someone out in their sin, if our agenda is self-righteous, the best way to restore peace who be to understand why we have a self-serving agenda, so that we can repent and be at peace on that issue. For me personally, I find it particularly difficult to remain silent when I’m feeling offended. It can be very difficult when the offense is fresh and we feel hurt, but if we obey God to “hold our peace”, we often will find a much greater peace in the silence as we rely on God alone to heal us.

I have a good friend who asks herself three simple questions every time her instinct is to speak out to someone, whether it is because she is offended or because she believes they are in the wrong: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?

It can be tricky trying to navigate the waters of conflict, whether it be between other people or simply within ourselves, but the best way to understand our own agenda, is to ask whether speaking out glorifies God, or serves our own pride? When we are silent, is it because we are afraid of the conflict that we may find ourselves in? Will our action or inaction bring peace to others, and will it bring peace and growth to ourselves? Ultimately, it comes down to faith versus self-preservation. It is only through prayer and deep reflection that it is revealed which of the two is driving our decision.

Father God, we lift to you all those who are currently experiencing conflict in one way or another. Please Lord guide them through your Holy Spirit to either speak your truth courageously to bring peace to others, or to stay silent and to turn to you for their comfort and peace. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

The post Blessed are the Peacemakers appeared first on Cup of Faith.

This month Cup of Faith hosted our first ever fiction writing workshop! As a blog that aims to encourage inspired and excellent writing, this workshop aligned perfectly with our calling. When I first met Joan Campbell through a prayer meeting, I was delighted by her passion for the use of fiction in sharing Christian ideas. She has written six books, including a Christian fantasy series. As someone who loves reading novels, I often dream of learning to write fiction. If I wanted to expand my writing skills, there were surely more people in our Cup of Faith community who shared this desire.

Here are some of the reasons people signed up to join the workshop:

“I am hoping to use my testimonies to write a book, to encourage other women. I want people who have similar experiences or are experiencing fears to know the power of God in our lives. I just have no idea how to practically share my story.” Wow!

“[To gain] an increased ease and confidence in my writing, and to experience a nearness and revelation of Christ through writing.” How beautiful is this?

“To refresh my motivation to write.” That’s a biggie!

The workshop had been in the pipeline for over a year. After discussing the content, Joan and I settled on the theme of ‘weaving the threads of a story together’ and titled the workshop ‘Story Threads’. There are many elements of writing a story that, when combined, create a beautiful, rich tapestry. During this beginner level workshop we looked at plot, character and setting. Joan taught us about the element, then explained our writing exercise which we did immediately. Being in a room with others who were hungry to write, itching for that wave of inspiration, was like experiencing electricity in the air. I know I don’t give my creative mind nearly enough time to just play with ideas. When praying for the workshop, I earnestly asked the Holy Spirit that He would bring us fresh waves of inspiration – a prayer I saw answered. I was amazed at how easily my ideas rolled out of my mind and onto the page. In particular, I had fun with Joan’s ‘character voice’ exercise. I felt like I had ‘met’ someone in my imagination and that as I wrote I was getting to know her. 

Joan summarised the feedback she got in a Facebook post: “…it appears the workshop imparted not only skills, but encouragement and confidence too. One of the attendees said that she had been creatively blocked for a few years and the workshop had sparked her creativity again. Another said she was surprised at how easily the writing ideas flowed on the day.”

I truly hope this workshop is just the first of many that we will run! If you’d like to be informed directly about future events, please leave a comment.

Do you enjoy reading Christian fiction? If so, who is your favourite Christian fiction author? Let us know in the comments below!

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Story Threads: Christian Fiction Writers’ Workshop appeared first on Cup of Faith.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

There’s a kind of exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. The kind that sits in your bones, the weight of carrying too much for too long. And sometimes, in the middle of it, we find ourselves longing—not just for rest, but for someone to share the weight.

For me, that longing has shown up in ways I didn’t even realise. It wasn’t loud or desperate, but quiet, subtle. A thought here, a feeling there. Maybe if I had a husband, this would be easier or had a partner to help with this and that.

But the Holy Spirit interrupted me with a lesson I wasn’t expecting.

And somehow, Ruth’s story was at the centre of it all.

When Exhaustion Exposes the Heart

Life has been heavy. Not falling apart, just a lot. Work, responsibilities, being the eldest daughter—it all stacks up. And when I get overwhelmed, I’ve noticed this pattern in myself: I start imagining how different life would feel if I
weren’t carrying it alone.

I don’t mean in an obvious, “God, where’s my husband?” kind of way. But in the smaller thoughts.
If I had someone to remind me to eat well, to make sure I’m resting, to share the weight of it all…
I didn’t even notice I was thinking like this until a male friend pointed out that I had lost weight. Not in a passing comment kind of way, but in genuine concern. Are you okay? Are you looking after yourself?
And that moment of care, of feeling seen—it did something to me.

But right there, God pressed pause.

“Look deeper.”

And what He showed me? It wrecked me.

The Lie We Believe About Rest

I had unknowingly tied my sense of rest to a future season. To marriage. To have a partner who could help me slow down, who would remind me to take care of myself, who would create a safe space for me to breathe.
But the Holy Spirit confronted and convicted that thinking.
“Rest is not something you wait for. It’s something you cultivate now.”
And it hit me: I was looking for an easy way out.
Instead of learning to set boundaries, instead of learning to listen to my body, instead of choosing rhythms of grace now—I was hoping that marriage would fix it for me.

But marriage isn’t a shortcut to rest.

And that’s where Ruth came in.

Ruth’s Rest Wasn’t in Boaz—It Was in God

Ruth’s story is so often told through the lens of romance. People love talking about how Boaz saw her, protected her, and provided for her. And yes, that part is absolutely beautiful.
But what about everything that came before?
What about Ruth who left everything to follow Naomi? What about Ruth who had every reason to stay where it was safe, to choose the easier option? But she didn’t. She surrendered.
“Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God.” – Ruth 1:16
Ruth didn’t chase a husband. She didn’t chase an outcome. She chased God. And that’s what changed everything.

She was already walking in obedience. Already walking in surrender. And because of that, when Boaz came, he wasn’t the source of her security—God already was.

That’s what I desire.

Choosing Fullness in the Now

This season of singleness is not a waiting room for the “real thing.” It’s not a limbo where I just sit around until marriage unlocks my best life.

It’s a place where fullness is available right now.

Jesus has already given me permission to rest.

Jesus has already made me whole.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

That’s the invitation. Not when I have a husband.

Not when life feels easier.

Not when the weight lifts.

But now.

So I’m learning. Learning to listen when my body says, Hey, you need a break. Learning to set boundaries that protect my peace. Learning to let God carry the weight, instead of hoping a future husband will do it for me.
Because if I can surrender here—if I can cultivate rest now—then whatever comes next, whether marriage, motherhood, or new seasons, I’ll walk into it already whole.

Already at peace.

Already living from a place of fullness.

Just like Ruth.

And that? That is enough.

Reflection Prompts

As you sit with this, here are some questions to take to God:
• Have I been postponing rest, peace, or joy for a future season?
• In what ways have I believed that marriage would “fix” parts of my life?
• How is God inviting me to experience fullness in this season?
• What practical steps can I take to prioritize rest, boundaries, and self-care now?

Write them down. Pray through them. Let God speak.

A Prayer for This Season

Father, I surrender this season to You. I lay down the belief that I have to wait for a future moment to experience rest, peace, and joy. Help me to see that everything I need is already in You. Teach me to walk in Your rhythms of grace. To trust You in the now. To find wholeness, not in what’s coming, but in the presence of the One who is already here. I give You my heart, my desires, my waiting. Let this season be one of joy, contentment, and deep intimacy with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Start your journey and Live This Out

Rest isn’t just a concept—it’s something we practice. So this week, I want to challenge you:
• Schedule intentional rest (a slow morning, an evening walk, a moment to pause).
• Set one boundary that protects your peace.
• Do something that brings you joy—not because you “deserve” it, but because God delights in your joy too.
Let’s not wait for a future season to live well. Let’s start now.

Chola Tshilanga

Hi, I’m Chola Tshilanga! A passionate content creator and digital expert using her gift of writing to help others live a more intentional life in God while fulfilling their purpose, using God’s word as a compass.

The post The Weight of Rest: What Ruth Taught Me About Singleness appeared first on Cup of Faith.

At the beginning of this year, I prayed for God to show me His heart for Cup of Faith in 2025. A verse from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount seemed like it was jumping out at me from the page as I read:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

Dear friends, this scripture meets me at a time when I feel the wind is blowing and beating, the rain is pummeling and the water level is rising at an alarming rate. In both my inner life and my outer circumstances, I feel I am surviving rather than thriving. It’s true that no one will make it through this life without facing difficulties. Not even Jesus had a carefree human life! And God knows this about us. But here’s His promise: If we prepare ourselves wisely, our entire lives can stand firm.

Birthing Ishmaels

But godly wisdom doesn’t come naturally. Jesus knows we are prone to doing things our way. It’s difficult to be patient when we are waiting on God. No one knew this better than Abraham and Sarah. They struggled with the reality of their infertility which seemed to blatantly contradict God’s promise. The waiting was too long, too tedious, too painful. Ishmael was a product of the ‘we’ll make a plan and show it to God’ way of navigating the tension. It was the easier route but it had devastating consequences for all involved parties.

Building our lives on the sand will have devastating consequences. The opportunity cost is too high. What could be used for the Kingdom will be washed away in an instant because we did it without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. The Holy Spirit is so gentle with us. He is easily grieved. He won’t nag us to wait for God. But His quiet conviction is sure. We can lean into it in faith. 

The Rock

“…everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

When Jesus says ‘these words of mine’, He’s referencing the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 – 7) as well as the rest of scripture. But the Sermon on the Mount certainly has a lot of practical wisdom to start with. Things that are countercultural, that we don’t see many examples of, and are thus easy to forget. Things like

• Blessed are the poor in spirit
• Turn the other cheek
• Tag the log out of your own eye

Jesus is telling us that wise living means investing into our character first. Character before possessions, character before being right, character rather than transient passions… Personally, I’ve had to re-learn what it means to take the log out of my own eye. This was something He first spoke to me about in my early years as a Christian in reference to my relationship with my brother. You can imagine how easy that was! But sibling relationships are a great testing ground for the rest of our relationships. Just last night, as my husband and I attended an Alpha Marriage course at our church, this verse was referenced as a key concept for healthy conflict. When we are hurt, all we want to do is to point out to the other party why they are wrong but we are right. In reality, Jesus is saying, we are more so at fault for such a hypocritical and judgemental attitude! When we are healed we can better minister with humility and grace to others.

Employing such a ‘Lord, me first’ attitude in my marriage has been immensely healing. It’s relieved me from the role I placed myself in as my husband’s chief fault-finder. Jesus’ wisdom is truly a rock for us to build our lives on.

What about you?

Why not take some time this week to read through the Sermon on the Mount. Allow the Holy Spirit to highlight a passage to you. Perhaps it won’t even be immediately obvious as to its relevance in your life. But trust that as you allow Him to lead you in His wisdom, you are secure against the coming storms.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock appeared first on Cup of Faith.

by Lisa-Mare Brown

When my son was about 2 and half years old, our family decided that it was time for me to quit my job, and for my son and I to stay at home. It was a big decision, due to our lifestyle choices: we were living in Malta and traveling to Europe frequently. We also made another major lifestyle adjustment in moving back home to South Africa.

I honestly had no idea how big the adjustment would be… I was giving up my independence, and so many people asked me, “But why?” It made me think how messed up capitalism really is. Both parents must work and pay a proportion of their income to someone else to look after their child who will in turn need to find someone else to look after his (or her) own child.

In the end, no one gets to raise their own children. Some moms would literally tell me that they have more patience when they work, or how they would rather work as they are not up for it.

I must admit, I used to feel the same. I would look forward to Mondays and going on holiday was hard work. But I was listening to a podcast by “M is for Mama” and I can’t even remember what exactly she said but man oh man did the Holy Spirit grab my heart! I felt convinced that it was time for my son to come home.

It was really strange as I was struggling with guilt but convinced myself it’s better for my family this way. “It’s only guilt!” I told myself. Meanwhile, God was preparing my heart for a new season. I couldn’t deny it anymore and I remember saying to God: “OK God, but this needs to happen in South Africa.” At the same time, my husband had in his heart to move to South Africa too.

Now it is special how God prepared the way but I had no idea how hard the adjustment would be, and also how much I would learn. I am beginning to think that this journey was just as much for me as it was for my son.

So let’s speak about the hard… It is hard to give every minute of every day to your offspring, although it might sound like a natural thing to do. It is in fact not natural to us anymore. Society has taught us to hustle, to always scrape for more, to live for entertainment and to always be searching for the next big thing.

Spending time with a toddler demands you to slow down, to live in the second, to literally smell the roses, to invent ways of entertaining yourself, to seek adventure and fun in everyday things. No amount of toys, crafts, educational materials, “tik-tok” videos can teach you how to be in the moment with your child. Only the Holy Spirit can.

It is in the moments when I want to hustle for the next thing even if it is just to start cleaning or cooking when God shows me: this is it. This is what it is all about. This moment. In the dirt, on the ground, making growling sounds and pretending you can speak dinosaur. It forces you to slow down and just be. We are not able to just be any more.

Think about it, is it possible for you to just sit for five minutes without reverting to browsing on your phone?

It is really hard for us to just be and I believe it’s a discipline we need to practice to experience more of Jesus. That is why He lets the children come to him. That is why he requires a child like faith and that the Kingdom belongs to them. It is because what a child is: the opposite of our society. A child can just be.

Today’s society wants us to chase educational milestones in our children since infancy. But it’s not just what our children can learn from us. We can learn from them. That is an unseen treasure not everyone can acknowledge and see. It’s a hidden treasure and God reveals it to those who seek it.

So sit down… Get on the ground with them. And let them teach you how to just be.

_________

Hi, I’m Lisa. I’m a stay-at-home mom to a lively toddler boy. Following God is an exciting adventure through the highs and the lows. As long as we seek him, there’s a treasure in every season, so let’s learn how to seek him together. See Lisa’s blog here.

Guest Author

From time to time, Cup of Faith receives guest posts from people who would prefer to contribute to the blog once-off. These authors may choose to stay anonymous or may have their name featured in the post itself.

The post How to just be… appeared first on Cup of Faith.

by Marthe Badibanga

Life can be overwhelming, even for those of us who try to keep everything together. At some point, we all face moments when the weight of our responsibilities, emotions, or circumstances becomes too much to carry on our own. Whether it’s the daily grind that wears us down or significant life events like the breakdown of a marriage or a serious illness, it can feel like there’s no end in sight. During these times, finding refreshment feels impossible. Yet, as believers, we have a constant source of rest and peace in Jesus Christ, our Shepherd.

Jesus, Our Rest in the Storm

When Jesus says in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” (ESV) He’s telling us something deeply profound. He is the One who protects us, guides us, and nurtures us—often in ways we don’t even recognize until we’re out of the storm. Unlike any worldly source of comfort or temporary escape, Jesus knows exactly what our hearts need, and He offers lasting refreshment that goes beyond just physical rest.

This truth became more real to me than ever during one of the most difficult seasons of my life: a combination of divorce and a serious illness, which left me unable to keep my employment. For years, I had prided myself on being able to handle anything life threw at me. But when my marriage unravelled quite dramatically and I was diagnosed with a debilitating illness at the same time, I felt crushed. The emotional pain of a failing relationship, coupled with the physical toll of the illness, left me feeling like I was drowning in chaos.

The Shepherd Leads Us to Still Waters

Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known and loved passages in the Bible, and for good reason. It speaks to the way Jesus, our Shepherd, leads us through the darkest valleys and brings us to places of peace and refreshment. Psalm 23:1-2 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” (ESV)

This picture of the Shepherd leading us to green pastures and still waters isn’t just poetic imagery—it’s a promise. During that difficult season, I felt anything but rested. It seemed like my mind was constantly racing, my heart was heavy with grief, and my body was weary from the strain of illness. But Jesus kept reminding me to come to Him for rest. He would gently pull me back to His Word, where I found verses like Ps 23:4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (ESV). Or Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (ESV)

Even when I couldn’t see a way out of the storm, I knew that I was in the hands of the Good Shepherd. Jesus didn’t promise to take away the pain instantly or cure the illness overnight, but He did promise to walk with me through it. And in those moments when I was intentional about spending time in prayer and in His Word, I experienced a kind of peace that surpassed all understanding (Philippians 4:7). He was the still waters in my storm.

Finding Peace in Chaos

Going through a divorce is like watching the foundation of your life crumble. Everything you thought was stable and permanent suddenly feels fragile and uncertain. When you add an illness into the mix, it’s easy to feel like you’re trapped in an inescapable storm. During those long nights when the pain—both emotional and physical—kept me awake, I found myself crying out to God in desperation. It was hard to believe that peace was possible, but in those darkest moments, I began to see Jesus as my Shepherd in a new way.

Instead of trying to control the uncontrollable, I began to learn how to surrender. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (ESV)

This verse took on new meaning as I realized that Jesus wasn’t asking me to pretend I was okay or to push through in my own strength. He was inviting me to let Him carry the burden with me, to rest in His care, and to find refreshment in His presence. It didn’t happen all at once, but slowly, as I gave my pain, my fears, and my uncertainties over to Him, I started to feel lighter.

There were still tough days—moments when the divorce felt too painful to bear and the illness too draining to fight—but I began to lean on Jesus in those times instead of trying to power through on my own. The more I trusted Him as my Shepherd, the more I experienced His peace. I came to understand that real refreshment isn’t about escaping our circumstances, but about finding rest in the middle of them, knowing we are safe in His care.

Finding Daily Refreshment in Jesus

The refreshment that Jesus offers isn’t a one-time fix. Just like sheep need constant care from their shepherd, we need to continually come back to Jesus for daily renewal. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle of life and forget to rest in His presence, but Jesus is always inviting us to come to Him.

One way I’ve learned to do this is by ending my day with quiet time in God’s Word and in prayer. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, I simply sit in silence, asking the Holy Spirit to speak to my heart. Other times, I pour out my worries and fears to God and ask for His peace. Every time, I’m reminded of Jesus’ promise in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (ESV)

Even in the midst of life’s storms, we can find true refreshment in Jesus. He doesn’t promise a life without hardship, but He does promise to walk with us, guide us, and bring us to places of peace. When we trust Him as our Shepherd, we find rest for our souls that the world cannot offer. As we navigate these tumultuous waters together—leaning on Scripture and each other—let us remember that we are never alone. Our Shepherd walks beside us every step of the way, leading us toward still waters where our souls can be restored.

The Shepherd’s Refreshment Is Always Available

If you’re feeling weary today—whether from the daily stresses of life or from a more significant storm like I faced—know that Jesus, your Shepherd, is ready to lead you to still waters. His invitation stands: Come to Him, find rest in His presence, and let Him refresh your soul. When we place our burdens in His hands, we discover that He is more than enough to carry us through, bringing us peace even in the most chaotic seasons of life.

_________

I have a love for writing, dedicated to sharing inspiring words to uplift others and I have a drive to make a difference. I long to see fellow Christians become all that God wants them to be. – Marthe Badibanga

Marthe Badibanga

A volunteer blogger whose passion is to see the people of God become all that the LORD intended them to be in their personal relationships with Him that overflow into their daily lives.

The post Finding Refreshment in Our Shepherd, Jesus Christ appeared first on Cup of Faith.