Let’s start today off with an activity. A simple activity. Raise your hand this morning if you have never struggled with anything. Raise your hand if everything has came easily to you with no obstacles. Raise your hand if life has been so smooth for you, you have never worried about anything. I’m guessing every one of you kept your hands down. I know I did. Because one thing I know, or at least I believe, is that everyone struggles at one point or another. If you breathe, you have struggled. Or you will struggle with something.
Being human comes with trials. We all have that in common. That was the point of the breathe comment. Being human requires breathing. If you breathe, you will struggle at some point in your life. You can count on that. And it seems lately, several of my family and friends have been going through things that have caused real struggle in their lives. Divorce. Financial. Accusations. Anxiety. PTSD. The list goes on, and on, and on. It’s moments like these that we find ourselves doing anything within our power to get out of them. Which is natural. Nobody wants to go through hard times. Sometimes we even catch ourselves begging to God. Begging that he would take the difficulties away.
If you don’t mind, I would like to share a couple thoughts on this. I believe that God is able to remove whatever he sees fit. I also believe that God chooses to allow us to go through hard times intentionally. No pain no gain has a whole new meaning here. Some may call it punishment. I’m not sure I agree with that. Although he can punish us if he wants to. And maybe he does. But I look at these as times that we are being built for what’s coming ahead. These are times that we seek God like never before. We trust him like never before. We have our faith in him like never before. And that builds us. Strengthens us for what lies ahead. I realize that at the moment, during the struggles, it may seem impossible to get through. But you can. And you will if you let him help you. God loves us. Loves us all. Always has. Always will.
