Have you ever looked at the difficult things you’ve had to live through and thought, “why, again, does God think I can handle this?”
It is clear that tough situations make us grow; we learn more from the dark seasons of life than when everything is fun and games. Yet, when we find ourselves in the midst of our toughest times we are sure that they will be the end of us. We just know, somehow, that we are not strong enough, brave enough or spiritually mature enough to face the things that threaten our faith and joy.
But aren’t we?
2 Peter 1:3 should bring this into perspective. “His divine power has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue.”
Everything that pertains to life. The ups and downs. The good and the bad. The simple and the complicated. Everything.
The truth is, we have it in us to go through anything. We may not understand why until the season is over; we may never understand why until we see our Father in all His glory, but one thing is sure, God knows you have what it takes to go through anything and come out better.
Here’s why:
1. He Put The Strength In You.
That’s clear enough from the above scripture. God gave us everything we need then topped that off by giving us the comforter, His Holy Spirit, to remind us in case we forget. Sometimes we wonder what God is doing when we are going through pain and anguish. I believe He’s rooting for us. He knows it’s a test; a huge, phenomenal, life-altering test sometimes, but it’s only a test. He’s urging us on, empowering us and giving us strength to pick ourselves up every time we fall.
He’s not freaking out. He’s not ignoring you. He’s not angry with you when you fail. He’s empowering you. He knows the stuff you’re made of. Him! And He never fails!
2. He Has A Plan.
Does a real estate mogul build a skyscraper only to store junk in it? Does an Olympian train night and day only to wake up on the big day and watch Netflix? No! Then trust that there’s purpose in the pain. Personally, I have struggled with this a lot. I try to make sense of the pain and come up with nothing simply because I feel myself drowning in the craziness of it all.
We try to live our lives with a purpose, do we not think God does the same? If He’s given you the grace to face a situation better believe, there’s a grand plan in the works. He always has a plan. He’s always preparing us for something bigger, better, greater. With Him, no experience is ever wasted. And God will not use an untested vessel.
Remember Abraham? That man went through a lot in his long life. Waiting for the promise of a child for many years, only to haul that child up a mountain with the intention of sacrificing him to God? Why? Because God asked. Abraham was tested sorely because God had a big plan for him; a lot was riding on his faith. He was going to be the father of many nations. He was going to be responsible for passing Jehovah’s name on to the next generation. He was going to set an example of how to honor and obey God for all generations to come. He had to be tested. And we have an example in him.
3. He Sees The Big Picture. His Eye Is On The Prize.
Think of all you’ve achieved in your life; every little detail. If someone had told you when you were 10 years old that you would do these things would you have believed them? Even if you did would you have known how to go about it? I think not. Why? Because you could only see the present. You could only advance one step at a time. You may have had a picture of your preferred future but that’s all it was, a picture. Guess what? The one who knows that future intimately, down to the very last detail has created a path for you to follow. That path may have bumps, sharp bends, and rough terrain but He knows where it leads.
He’s not losing His mind over the rough patch that has you panting and gasping for air. He has His eye on the prize; the bigger picture that will bring it all together. He can’t afford to let you stop just because you think you’re dying. He knows you’re not. That’s just your capacity increasing, your muscles stretching, your heart expanding so that when you get to the finish line, wherever that is for you, you’ll know how and why you survived. And hopefully, you’ll be able to help others who just might be thinking they’re at the end of their rope, too.
Don’t stop soldier, there’s a mountain around the corner but you’ve got what it takes. You can do it!
