Not only so, but we
also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
We often grow the most when we endure difficulties in our
lives. It’s those times when we struggle, when we are drug through the mud,
when we are hung out to dry when are lives undergo the greatest transformation.
When we rise from the ashes in the end, we look back at where we were when it
started and where we are now, and we see that the Lord has been at work
developing, crafting, and molding our lives. The Lord takes the brokenness of
our world and uses it to build us up, to make us stronger, and to deepen our
relationship with him. Nobody likes difficulties…nobody likes going through a battle
with a horrible disease…nobody likes dealing with unemployment and worrying about
how to put food on the table…nobody wishes for a relationship to fall apart
leaving both parties struggling for direction. But when the battle does greet
us at our doorstep, we can be confident that we don’t step into the war alone. God
steps onto the battlefield with us. He sustains us during the fight, granting
us courage, endurance, and confidence so that we are not overcome by the force
that pushes against us. And most importantly, the Lord draws us in closer to
him during the struggle…he uses the battles as a chance to deepen our
relationship with him. The challenges we face have a tendency to plant the
false idea that because we are going through a hardship that somehow God doesn’t
care for us or has forgotten us. Nothing could be further from the truth. We
live in a broken world, and as a result, we are going to directly experience that
brokenness in our lives. That doesn’t mean God’s not there experiencing it with
us and carrying us through the trenches. We aren’t going to win every battle…in
fact, at some point, all of us will likely succumb to some health battle that
will turn out the lights in this life. But the important thing through it all
is that we don’t allow these battles to overcome our faith and belief in the
Lord. Through the Holy Spirit, we can use the battles to fortify our belief in Jesus
and deepen our relationship with the Father. And in the end, win or lose, we
remain steadfast as children of the one true God. And children of the Lord get
to greet the Lord when this life closes, as stated in Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified
through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through
whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand”.
May we trust the Lord each day when difficulties come around….may we seek his
direction, strength, and assurance during the battle…and may we use the
struggle to grow more dependent, obedient, and committed to the Lord. Praise
the Lord that this earthly life is not the end all be all…there is so much more
to come! To God alone be the glory!
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