There are some words we hear so often that they slowly become part of our everyday vocabulary. “This too shall pass” is one of those phrases. People say it when we are struggling, when we are worried, when we feel overwhelmed, or even when they don’t know what else to say. At first, it may sound like a cliché, something we tell ourselves just to feel better. But if we sit with these words a little longer, they begin to carry a deeper truth.
Everything in life changes. Seasons change. Circumstances change. Our hearts change. Our challenges rise and fall like waves. No moment, no matter how painful, lasts forever. Sometimes that thought alone can bring a small breath of relief. But as Christians, the meaning becomes even richer. “This too shall pass” is not just about time moving forward. It is about learning to trust that God walks with us in every season, especially the difficult ones.
Pain Has Seasons, Not Permanence
When life feels heavy, it is easy to think that the struggle will never end. There are days when a single worry feels like it covers the whole sky, and even prayer feels quiet or distant. But if we look back at our lives, we will notice something important, we have survived every difficult moment so far. Every moment that felt impossible then, slowly softened with time. Every season that felt endless eventually shifted into something new.
The same God who carried us through those past difficulties is the same God who stands with us today. Our situations may change, our emotions may change, but God’s love does not. He remains steady while everything else moves like the tide. Knowing this does not remove the pain instantly, but it reminds us that pain is never the final chapter.
God Works Quietly While We Wait
Sometimes the hardest part of suffering is not knowing how long it will last. We want answers. We want timelines. We want to understand the “why” behind things. But God rarely works according to our preferred schedule. He heals us slowly at times because He knows that slow healing builds strength. He teaches us patience, compassion, and trust in ways we don’t always see.
There are seasons when nothing feels like it is changing, but God is quietly reshaping our hearts. He is softening what has hardened. He is teaching us to rely on Him more than on our own strength. He is preparing something we cannot yet see. Some of God’s greatest work happens in silence, in waiting, in the moments when we feel forgotten.
But God does not forget anyone. His timing is different because His view is eternal. And when the right moment arrives, the weight we carry begins to lift, sometimes slowly, sometimes all at once, but always at the moment He chooses.
Faith Doesn’t Remove Storms, It Anchors Us Through Them
Being Christian does not protect us from challenges. Jesus Himself said that we would face troubles in this world. But He followed it with a promise, “Take heart, for I have overcome the world.” His victory is our anchor. We may still face storms, but our faith keeps us from being swept away by them.
“This too shall pass” is not just a comfort; it is a reminder that no storm stands stronger than God’s presence. Even when we feel afraid or confused, we are not walking through darkness alone. God goes before us. God walks beside us. And God carries us when we no longer have the strength to take another step.
Sometimes the only prayer we can whisper is, “Lord, stay with me.” And that is enough. Because the One who stays with us is greater than anything we face.
Even Joy and Success Are Temporary
The phrase “This too shall pass” is not only about pain. It is also a gentle reminder that even our joyful seasons, our successes, our celebrations, our mountaintop moments are temporary. Life is constantly moving. Nothing stays the same forever.
This is not meant to discourage us, but to teach us gratitude. When we realize that even beautiful moments pass, we begin to cherish them more sincerely. We stop taking people for granted. We become more present in the small joys. We appreciate blessings with open hands instead of holding on too tightly.
Knowing that time moves in seasons helps us value both the sunshine and the rain.
Surrendering What We Cannot Control
One of the most freeing moments in life is when we finally accept that we cannot control everything. We cannot control other people’s choices. We cannot control every outcome. We cannot predict the future. But we can surrender what is heavy into God’s hands.
Surrender does not mean giving up. It means trusting that God can handle what we cannot. It means believing that God’s plan is bigger than our fear. It means resting in the truth that He knows exactly what we need, even when we don’t.
When we say, “This too shall pass,” we are reminding ourselves that our story is in the hands of someone who loves us more than we can imagine.
A Quiet Strength Grows in Us
Every challenge teaches us something. Sometimes it teaches patience. Sometimes it teaches humility. Sometimes it teaches compassion for others. Every season leaves a mark, but it also leaves a lesson. And slowly, without even realizing it, we become stronger.
Not stronger in a loud, proud way, but stronger in a gentle, steady way. Stronger in faith. Stronger in resilience. Stronger in our ability to trust God.
When the difficult moment finally passes, we are not the same person we were before. Something inside us becomes deeper. Something becomes more grounded. Something becomes more grateful.
And that transformation is part of God’s beautiful work.
A Final Thought
“This too shall pass” is not just a phrase. It is a reminder of God’s faithfulness. A reminder that storms are temporary, but God’s love is not. A reminder that waiting does not mean abandonment. A reminder that healing comes, even if slowly. A reminder that our darkest nights eventually give way to morning.
Whatever you are facing today, a fear, a loss, a disappointment, a heavy heart, you do not have to carry it alone. In time, with grace, with patience, and with God walking beside you, this too shall pass.
And when it does, you will look back and see that God was holding you the whole time.
Not stronger in a loud, proud way, but stronger in a gentle, steady way. Stronger in faith. Stronger in resilience. Stronger in our ability to trust God.
When the difficult moment finally passes, we are not the same person we were before. Something inside us becomes deeper. Something becomes more grounded. Something becomes more grateful.
And that transformation is part of God’s beautiful work.
