No Such Thing as Small Destruction
Annie F. Downs
Author of Don’t Let That Hold You Back
“Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy” (Proverbs 14:10, NIV).
In March 2020, an EF-3 tornado with winds up to 165 miles per hour touched down in Nashville. In the middle of that path of destruction? My church. A place I know and love that holds so much of my heart and history.
Think of natural disasters or the not-so-natural disasters you’ve experienced. The day they happen, right when you are in the middle of the crumbling, there is no way to know how you’ll ever survive such a thing.
Like a tornado’s aftermath, other forms of destruction in my life make it feel like there are too many piles and too much shrapnel. The idea of building anything new or moving forward in any way feels almost impossible.
Destruction holds us back because it’s confusing and chaotic. It’s scary to think about building again, and if you ask me, it’s lonely.
Even when a church, family, or company falls apart, the rubble at your feet is unique to you. Even today, when I talk with church friends about what we’ve been through as a congregation over the last few years — staff turnover, a devastating tornado, lives falling apart — we've all experienced it so differently. We all have significant pain points, but all the pain points are different. That makes destruction feel so lonely.
“But no one knows what he said to me.”
“But no one knows how much money I invested in that.”
“But no one knows what I hoped would happen if that all went the way I wanted it to.”
“But no one knows why this hurts for me as much as it does.”
You’re right. No one knows. Just as Proverbs 14:10 says, "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.” No one has felt what you have felt or experienced the destruction the way you have. When you feel misunderstood, of course you are. When you feel like no one understands, of course they don’t.
Can I encourage you to release the need for people to fully understand where you’ve been and what you’ve felt? Healing happens more quickly when you tell yourself the truth: No one has experienced what you’ve experienced.
So of course this is lonely.
I recently decided that loneliness doesn’t get the same kind of power that it used to. Instead of telling me a lot about myself, my future, and my life, loneliness now only has access to advise me on decision-making. It has a vote, but it isn’t a dictator anymore.
Put loneliness in its proper place. You don’t have to ignore it, but ask it some questions and learn what you need to know from it.
Destruction can hold you back. But it doesn’t have to.
God, I trust You even when I don’t understand the rubble around me. I know You are right here with me. Will You bring restoration to what’s been destroyed in my life? Will You bring healing to what’s been broken? I know You create beauty out of ashes, and I’m believing You will do it again. In Jesus’ name, amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
For anyone stuck between dreaming and doing, Don’t Let That Hold You Back is your invitation to stop waiting and start moving.
ENGAGE
If you’d like to connect with Annie, be sure to follow her on Instagram or learn more about her at AnnieFDowns.com.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of Don’t Let That Hold You Back by Annie F. Downs. To celebrate this book, Annie’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, September 28, 2026.}
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Isaiah 61:3, “and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor” (NIV).
What part of the “rubble” in your life feels hardest to rebuild right now? How does knowing God is present in the destruction change your perspective? Share with us in the comments!
© 2026 by Annie F. Downs. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
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