If you’ve lived long enough, I’m sure you’ve noticed that one thing is true, life doesn’t always make sense. Hard times come. Unexpected losses can just have us dumbfounded. And even though we know God loves us, sometimes there is a disturbing feeling of distance from Him that we just can’t ignore.
Life has proved that being a believer is not all about flowers, sunshine and happy times. Storms will come and sometimes it will seem as though they all have hit at once. Relationships diminishing, people dropping like flies, work getting rough, or even just anxiety about the future. One thing I’ve learned through it all, is that God makes no mistakes. Everything in our lives that often times take us by surprise were already planned and devised by Him in order for him to get the glory.
With that, no matter how we “feel,” or what lies the deceiver throws our way, God’s word reminds us of what’s true. Life may look blank or uncertain in times and God may seem distant when the answers don’t come quickly. But the truth is, He’s still there with us, He has a plan, and He’ll never abandon us.
I’ve also learned that we can’t only take the good in life and reject the bad because both are tremendous shaping tools to help us live a full life. One is the sandpaper of life and the other is the buffer to make it shine. They both have the powerful ability to refine us.
When we reject challenges in life, and resent our circumstances, we ultimately reject a higher purpose for our life that can be used to help others or for a testimony. When we attempt to get through a trying time in high speed, we miss out on some of the most amazing lessons. Lessons that can change us. Lessons that can give us a depth we didn’t realize we had. Lessons that can thrust us into a new level of greatness we didn’t even know we had in us to reach.
One thing to remember is, you are not alone. We all have weak spots and areas of inconsistency in our character. We all go through these types of transitions, and will need His guidance and correction. Unfortunately, the path that takes us to the promise is always brought with thickets and thorns. Nothing worth having ever comes easy or without opposition. Storms will come and our fears will be confronted. God allows the path to be difficult because He intends on refining us and preparing us for our place of promise. He also is intentional at extracting from us that which our enemy would love to use against us.
There are 4 things you have to remember in your season of hard times:
God’s ways are different than ours, but He is with us.
God’s timing is often different than ours, but He is faithful.
When it seems like evil is winning, God has the final say.
No matter how dark the struggle, God is able to bring power and victory through it all.
If you’re in a season of refining, lean in. Trust the loving and faithful hand of God and know that He will guide you through it. Reject the sense of entitlement and do not demand to be understood by anyone. Just humble yourself and seek to understand what God is doing in and around you. He will and strengthen you as you go.
Lastly, an important question to ask yourself: Do you have a sense or idea of how God is using your current circumstances to prepare you for a greater calling? Think on that, and maybe even start to write it down to aid yourself in going through the process. It’s what I did have recently started doing, even with this blog, and it for sure helps!
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