We all go through difficult seasons. Some of them are short, some are long. And they are all caused by different things happening in and around us.

I’m in a bit of a hard season right now. I’ve deemed it “Wedding Season.”

No, I’m not getting married, but a lot of people close to me are. Being 26, I feel like Wedding Season is hitting me later than it does some people. Until this year, there just hadn’t been many weddings in my life. 

But by May of next year, I’ll have been in two weddings, attended several more and seen photos from numerous acquaintances tying the knot or at least getting engaged.

My younger brother got married earlier this month and one of my college roommates is getting married in April. I was one of the only people in my brother’s wedding party without a “plus one,” and I’ll likely be one of the only people in my college friend’s wedding going stag.

Pang of longing

It’s hard to not feel envious while celebrating love between other people. I’m happy for the couples, of course, because I love them. But that doesn’t dull the pang in my heart longing for that same connection, that same promise of commitment.

Singleness is a tough topic for me. I know marriage is not a promise. I know God calls some people to singleness. And I know singleness has its own blessings and godly purpose. Even so, all that head knowledge is slow to penetrate my heart some days. 

What should we do when we are walking through tough seasons, regardless of their cause?

Here are a few things I’ve found helpful:

1. Surround yourself with people who care. No matter what kind of tough season it might be, it’s always beneficial to spend time with people who love you — people who make you laugh and people who can speak biblical wisdom into your situation.
2. Shut out the things that hurt. Whatever you might be walking through, chances are there are songs, movies, shows, books, social medias, etc., that emphasize what you are struggling with. I’ll admit, I’m terrible at this one.
3. Cling to Christ. I know, it sounds somehow both simple and complex. When things around us are uncertain, Christ is our constant. Whatever it feels like you are missing, He fulfills. Whatever is causing you anxiety and worry, He has seen it through to the end.

What does this look like practically? Stay in the Word; have a time of worship when you begin to feel overwhelmed; pray. 

Scripture doesn’t promise health, wealth or marriage, but it does promise that God will never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6). So wherever you are, whatever you are feeling, God is there with you.