Hope When Everything is Being Ripped Away

How to Stay Unshaken When Life Feels Like It’s Falling Apart

Some days, it feels like everything is crumbling around you, doesn’t it?

It’s the moment you realize just how dark the world can be and how quickly life can flip upside down — whether it’s because of a move, an accident, a diagnosis, or even a death.

And in those moments, you start asking the big questions:
What do I do when all I want to do is crawl into a hole and cry?
Why would a good God allow bad things to happen?
How do I remain unshaken when the ground feels like it’s moving beneath me?

Friend, I’ve been there. In fact, 2025 has already been that kind of year for me.

It started with my parents leaving our home church — the church I grew up in and still attend with my husband and family — literally on January 1. Add to that some pretty heavy extended family struggles, a few church members diagnosed with cancer, and the fact that it’s my very first year of marriage (which is its own big learning curve), and there were days I wanted nothing more than to just crash into a hole and cry my heart out.

And sometimes… I did.

But here’s what I’ve been learning about staying anchored when life gets messy.

1. It’s Okay to Be Emotional

We don’t have to bottle it up. Crying is cathartic — it’s one of God’s built-in release valves for the soul. You don’t need to “hold it together” all the time to be a strong Christian. Even Jesus wept, and he was perfect. No matter who you are: man, woman, boy, or girl, you are allowed to cry.

2. Look for the Truth

When everything feels uncertain, I go back to what I do know: God is sovereign. He’s not surprised by what’s happening in my life — and He never wastes anything.

Here are a few verses I cling to:

• Romans 8:28 — “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

• Psalm 31:5 — “Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.”

• Psalm 56:3–4 — “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise — in God I trust and am not afraid.”

• Psalm 88 — One of the only Psalms that doesn’t end on a happy note. It reminds me that not every moment has to be tied up neatly with a bow.

• Psalm 121 — A reminder that my help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3. Pray (A Lot)

Pray when you wake up. Pray when you’re doing dishes. Pray when you’re in the car. And don’t be afraid to ask others to pray for you. There’s something powerful about linking arms with other believers in prayer, especially when you don’t have the words yourself.

4. Do Your Comfort List

One of my favorite self-care habits is what I call my “comfort list” — a mental list of the things that help me breathe again when life feels heavy.

Here’s what’s on mine:

• Drinking tea

• Wrapping up in cozy blankets

• Listening to worship music

• Reading my favorite Scriptures

• Spending quality time with my husband and family

When life gets overwhelming, I pick one (or sometimes all) of these. It doesn’t make the problems disappear, but it helps me remember I’m not powerless — and I’m not alone.

Final Thoughts

If life feels shaky right now, you don’t have to fake a smile or pretend everything is fine. You’re allowed to cry, to feel the weight of it, and to admit it’s hard. But you can also take steps to anchor your heart in truth, to pray without ceasing, and to fill your days with the little comforts God has given you.

Hard seasons will come. But your foundation doesn’t have to crack.

Because the God who holds the whole world together — He’s holding you, too. 💛

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