Walking Through Fire
Read: Isaiah 43:1-7 When you walk through fire you shall not be burned. (v. 2) One feature of my mental illness is depression, and under its influence the world seems
Ariana D. Den Bleyker June 16, 2026
Are you struggling to understand why God would allow suffering in your life?
Suffering touches every person at some point—through loss, illness, mental anguish, broken relationships, or overwhelming pressure. It’s natural to ask, “Why me?” or “Where is God in this?” This devotional reading plan offers an invitation to ask a different question: “What is God doing in me through this?”
Drawing from the honesty of the Bible and the author’s own painful experiences, these devotions explore how suffering can become a place of deep spiritual transformation. You’ll encounter biblical voices like Job, Paul, Hannah, and Jesus, and see how hardship shaped their faith, deepened their trust, and revealed God’s goodness in surprising ways. Each reading offers encouragement to lean into—not run from—the refining work of God.
You’ll be reminded that suffering isn’t wasted. In God’s hands, it can lead to perseverance, maturity, comfort, and even joy. Not because the pain disappears, but because Christ is present in it. And through your pain, you may find a fellowship with him that is more intimate and powerful than you imagined.
This series doesn’t minimize suffering. It honors it. And it helps you discover that while God may not always remove the fire, he always walks with you through it—and brings beauty from the ashes.
Come, pour out your soul. Let God meet you in your weakness, and lead you toward hope, healing, and purpose.
Read: Isaiah 43:1-7 When you walk through fire you shall not be burned. (v. 2) One feature of my mental illness is depression, and under its influence the world seems
Read: Philippians 3:7-11 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings. (v. 10) The greatest pain I ever felt was going through
Read: Job 5:8-27 [Eliphaz said,] “As for me, I would seek God.” (v. 8) During the involuntary hospitalization that followed one of my suicide attempts, I read the book of
Read: 2 Corinthians 12:6-10 When I am weak, then I am strong. (v. 10) Stage 4 osteoarthritis prevented me from enjoying activities that were central to my life, and after
Read: James 1:2-12 Count it all joy. (v. 2) Running involves perseverance and suffering. As many people say, nobody looks like they’re having fun when they’re running. But when they
Read: Psalm 27 I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! (v. 13) There have been times in my life when I’ve found
Read: Romans 8:18-28 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (v. 18 NIV) My son was born via
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. (v. 6) When my daughter was in first grade, she broke her wrist. Aside from
Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial. (v. 12) When I first got my driver’s license, my husband—then fiancé—taught me how to drive in
Ariana D. Den Bleyker is a Pittsburgh native currently residing in New York’s Hudson Valley. She is the author of two devotional poetry collections,To Be Held by the Lightand Waking in the Light. She is an ordained deacon in the Reformed Church of America.