Did you catch the sarcasm there?
I was thinking how nice it would be to never have to go through them at all.
But then again...
Where would I be if I didn't? How would my walk with Christ be, if I never had to trust Him? If I never had to lay my issues or concerns at His feet?
Would I need Him at all if my life was always perfect? I hate to admit it, but the answer would most likely be no.
What about you? What would your answer be? Would you need Him? Would you have any desire to seek His face?
Then I got thinking...
We learn through our struggles. We learn that we serve a God who will make a way when there doesn't seem to be one. We learn that He will meet our needs. We watch as His strength covers our weakness. As His love replaces our doubt and hate and shows us, teaches us, how to love one another. The grace and mercy He extends to us, is not a blessing just to ourselves, but to others as well, as we learn to extend grace and mercy to them.
So, when you think about it, our struggles are a stepping stone of sorts, wouldn't you say? I don't know...maybe this message is just for me tonight, and maybe it's not. But I'm glad God used His Word this morning to help me see things in way I hadn't before.
We might think that life would be perfect without struggle, but would it really?
Something to think about...
And as you're thinking I want to leave you with these scriptures:
I John 4:4
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
I pray these scriptures encourage you. I know they did me.
Even though the struggles, pain, and trails we face here are not easy. It's comforting to know we don't have to face them alone. We were NEVER meant to. When we do, we fail. It's that simple.
But we turn them over to Jesus. When we call on His name...well...something happens. There's power in the name of Jesus. There's power in the Blood He shed for you, so you wouldn't have to walk in this life in your own strength! So you wouldn't have to worry. So you wouldn't be defeated.
We are victorious through Him.
And only Him.
How awesome is that?
Kelly