Times of Struggle

My heart goes out to the many followers of Christ who are trying to follow God and keep from being apart of this world and are struggling. I sit here today writing this a little bit heartbroken because of the different struggles I am having to deal with in my life and also because of watching many people I love having to struggle with different areas in their life.

Following Christ isn't always a walk in the park. Coming to Christ doesn't mean riches and glory all the time. There are going to be times of struggle. There are going to be times of grieving and times of facing emotions that aren't wanted. But I am writing this post today to simply say that...

STRUGGLE IS GOOD

Now you probably just read that and are either thinking that i'm crazy or that struggle is just the absolute opposite for you. And that's ok, because I'm here to show you why.

Many times people come to Christ because they need help! They've tried going about life on their own and they find the love of God and just want to be consumed with it forever. But following God doesn't mean that we are never going to have problems. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you accept the fact that you were born into sin and that you live in the flesh which is sinful. Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins and our shame but that doesn't mean that you're never going to sin again. Following God means to accept the fact that you're a human and you're never going to be perfect, but knowing that God is worth it, and that you're going to spend the rest of your life following Him, which includes: letting him mold you, shape you, refine you and perfect you.

When you sign up for Jesus, you sign up for some trials and tribulations in your life... because you know what? Struggle means you're resisting. And you're not just resisting anything, but you're resisting the devil and his temptations. Struggling is apart of your walk with Christ because as you're walking closer to Him and farther away from this world, you want to be more like Him. And one thing is for sure Jesus is nothing like this world, so as you walk into the light, you're going to struggle because you're turning away from the devil and you're turning away from this world. 

 2 Cor 4:8-9 "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

Psalms 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will  fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,  they comfort me." As we walk with Christ there are going to be hills and there are going to be valleys. But the bible tells us to rejoice in the valleys!

Romans 5:3-5 "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering  produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love  has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Rejoice when you're going through trials and you are struggling! You know why? Because you are being refined and you are being perfected so that you may not only walk stronger and taller in your walk with Christ but that you may be an even better example of Christ and how He walked on earth and how He loves! The love of Christ is like nothing you can find anywhere in the world, the universe, anywhere.. and let me tell you, being able to share that kind of love with someone, especially someone who is struggling, is one of the greatest gifts we could ever receive. 

One thing is for sure... and that is that I could look back at my life and be so mad at all the things that I had to go through or even sit here now and be upset about the things I am going through because "it's not fun" or "it's not fair" or "I shouldn't have to go through this" but how selfish is that? This life isn't about me. This life isn't about what I want and I PRAISE God for EVERY single one of the trials I have gone through in my life because the more I go through the more I realize that this life is not about me. Everything I have had to face or conquer has made me stronger, and I have not had one time of struggle that God didn't use for me to help someone with the exact same thing later down the road or even right then! There is ALWAYS a reason for your struggle. 

Not only is struggle evident in our lives so that God can perfect us and fine tune us, but it's also there so that we can help someone else. So that we can share the love of God with someone else. So we can show them the amazing things God has done in our lives. So that we can bring someone closer to Him and that they might be provided with hope! Focus on that! This life isn't about us. In the midst of your struggle take your eyes off what you're going through and place them on God. Talk to Him and ask Him what His purpose is for all of this. 

Romans 8:18  "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

I know that right now things may seem gloomy and things may seem hard, but hold on! Whether it's something God does in your life, or something that He uses you to help someone else, the glory that is revealed at the end of the valley is beyond incredible! And the best part is, if you draw to God in the midst of the struggle, He will always love you and He will always protect you. And most of the time, the times of struggle are when you get closer to God then you ever have before! Read these verses, meditate on them and I highly recommend memorizing them! Because when times of struggle come you don't have to go it alone. You have an incredible Savior who will protect you and lead you all the way through... Lean on Him. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  "But he said to me,  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Psalms 34:17-18  "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Isaiah 54:17  "no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgement. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD." Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Psalms 34:19  "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all."