Through The Bible in a Year - May 15, 2026

"When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD... they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, 'For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.'" - Ezra 3:10-11

The people standing in the ruins couldn't "just get over it." They were walking through what looked like photographs of destroyed Middle East cities or tornado-ravaged American neighborhoods. Their families had been decimated. Their temple was rubble. The glory of Solomon's kingdom was gone.

And it was their own fault. Their idolatry had caused all of this.

If someone had told them to "just get over it" and "move on," they would have wanted to punch that person in the nose. How do you get over seeing your nation destroyed, your family decimated, your children enslaved—especially when you know your own sin caused it?

You don't get over such devastation by ignoring the pain – you can’t.

God did not invite his people to ignore or forget their pain, instead he invited these hurting people to start building again. To lay foundations. To act in faith. To sing praises while confessing honestly what had happened. To acknowledge their pain while declaring in word and action: "God is yet good and His steadfast love endures forever."

David Powlison, once helped rescue the Christian counseling movement with an article titled "You'll Never Get Over It." That doesn't sound like a very strong Christian message, but it's profoundly needed. Powlison's message to those who fear they will never get over past horrors was,  "You're right. You'll never get over it. This experience is now part of your life, part of the patchwork of your existence. But you don't need to be forever defined by it."

What does that mean?

It means making honest confession: "This is part of my life. This happened." And at the same moment saying: "But God, You are greater than that. The valley is real but you provide paths to higher ground. There is morning after the night."

God doesn't ask you to pretend the hurt never happened. He doesn't tell you to "just get over it." Instead, He invites you to acknowledge the pain while simultaneously building a future. To weep for what was lost while rejoicing in His steadfast love that endures forever.

Respond: What are you being told to "just get over"? What pain, betrayal, abuse, or loss keeps replaying in your mind like a flashback?

Stop pretending you should be "over it" by now. That's not how deep wounds work.

You don't have to deny the valley to believe in higher ground. You don't have to pretend the night never happened to trust that morning is coming.

This week, practice holding both truths at once: "This hurt is real" AND "God's love is greater." Don't let the past define your future or God’s faithfulness.

Prayer: Lord, I will never "get over" what happened. The pain is real. The betrayal is real. The loss is real. The consequences of sin—mine or others'—are real. I won't pretend otherwise. But I also won't let this define me forever. You are greater than my past. Your love endures longer than my pain. Help me to acknowledge the valley while believing in higher ground. Bring the morning, Lord. I trust You through the night. In Jesus’ name, Amen.