The blessing of God is talked
about, and studied by many. I’d like to depart from that train of thought for a
moment and talk about the blessing of struggle. At face value, the terms
blessing and struggle may seem like an oxymoron. But if you’re able to embrace
struggle and see it for what it is, struggle can truly be a blessing in your
life.
The
Blessing of Struggle disarms us
The blessing of struggle removes our
dependence and reliance on all of our man-made safety nets. The blessing of
struggle places all focus on God and what He can do in our lives as opposed to
us and what we can do for ourselves.
The
Blessing of Struggle humbles us
Most of us know people who seem to
be doing well on the outside. They say all the right things and act as though
all is well with them. But deep down inside there seems to be turmoil that
cannot be disguised.
Its one thing to go through life’s
struggles knowing in the back of our minds that there are people in our lives
that can (and most likely will) bail us out of the tough situations we find
ourselves in. It’s entirely another to see no way out of our situations and
rest in the fact that only God can rescue us.
The blessing of struggle causes us
to strip ourselves of all our protective mechanisms and leaves us standing
stark naked with no alternative but to look ourselves in the mirror and confess
that only the grace of God can get us out of our predicament.
The
Blessing of Struggle Breeds Faith and Thanksgiving
Its one thing to go through life’s
struggles knowing in the back of our minds that there are people in our lives
that can (and most likely will) bail us out of the tough situations we find
ourselves in. It’s entirely another to see no way out of our situations and
rest in the fact that only God can rescue us.
When God comes to our aid in
situations where man can’t, true thanksgiving is the result. When we know in
our heart that only God could have rescued us from a detrimental and
potentially devastating situation, we walk away with more than a testimony for
those who may go through the same situation as we did.
When God delivers us from dire
straits, we have a conscience that has now been marked with a life changing
event that will remain in our hearts forever.
There are certain things that have
happened in my life that serve as constant reminders of where God has delivered
me from. When I experience these reminders, I can’t help but stop what
I’m doing and thank God for his divine protection and deliverance.
These little remembrances help to
keep our faith vibrant when we encounter impossible situations in life.
Count
the Blessing of Struggle as Joy
As the scripture says in James 1:2 count it all joy
when you fall into temptations, trials and tests. As any good fighter knows,
drawing your opponent closer makes it more difficult for him to hit you.
Fight the good fight of faith my
embracing the blessing of struggle. Discover the necessity of struggle for the
purpose of spiritual growth. Come to realize that God is right by your side in
every struggle you face.
No matter what you may be going
through, remember that He is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
We have His Word on it.
Embrace the blessing of struggle and
use the power of God to come out on top in each and every challenge of life.
