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The struggle you’re in TODAY is developing the strength you need for TOMORROW. So, don’t give up (Romans 5:3-5). after all, no one gets to the big leagues of life without a ton of effort and more than a few setbacks. Which come in the form of changes just like the ones we are experiencing today. And, when we don’t like or want the change, it is easy to just give up instead of dealing with the setbacks, the challenges, the struggles.
To put the point across I will use this story: There once lived, a wise man who visited his king. The king challenged the man with a riddle. He said, “In my hands is a small bird. Is it alive or dead? The wise man thought to himself, “If I say it is alive, he will close his hand and crush it. If I say it is dead, he will open his hand and let it fly away.” He said, “It’s all in your hands.”
WE CAN’T AVOID STRUGGLES
Our lives and our life’s journey are in our hands. Because of what we encounter on our journey–ups, downs, challenges, difficulties, struggles, hard decisions – the journey isn’t easy. “For each one should carry his own load-Galatians 6:5’’.After all, the struggle of life is one of our greatest blessings. It makes us patient, sensitive, and Godlike. It teaches us that although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.
Brethren, a blessing is something that helps you or brings happiness. Afterall what seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise. A blessing in disguise is certainly how I would describe a lot of changes. At first, the change may seem like the worst thing that can happen to us (loss of a loved one; loss of a job; loss of a relationship; loss of a tradition; loss of our comfort zone; loss of our sense of purpose and perhaps even direction; loss of control, power, social identity, or influence). But, once we look beyond what has changed, we might be able to see the blessing(s) that the change holds.
Have you ever been told that you’re very talented? But… we just don’t feel you’re ready for the big leagues (promotion, increase, etc). You still need some seasoning.” To you, not ready meant “not good enough.” Things happen all the time as does change. “But when you move with change, even in amid earth-shattering situations there’s reason to feel joy because you understand that even these situations(lockdown) are not guaranteed to last. Change is always promised… But you have to go through change willingly in order to come out of it joyfully. There has to be some level of acceptance of your present situation before you can realize peace about it.”
No matter how talented you are, there is room to grow, to learn, to improve. Maybe you could turn your struggles into progress. We will see that life gives us these moments, these blessings in disguise to take us to a place (physically, emotionally, and/or mentally) that we need to be in order to accomplish something that is meant to be.
Tough times don’t last always. Your hard times are there to shape you and develop your character. It causes you to become more aware of life and you develop an attitude of gratitude. Don’t lose hope because it gets better.” (Job 8:7). The next time a change, a struggle, a challenge, a setback enters your life, go with the flow of it. Mourn the loss; get angry over what happened, but eventually move on (Psalm 30:5). When you do move on, make choices that help make sense of what happened.
Make choices that help bring a ray of sunshine into you and into the lives of others. Prayed for understanding to know What you were supposed to learn from this experience. This time don’t see it as a setback. But see It as a lesson. Trust in time. Trust in yourself. Trust in God.
I hope you look for the blessings in disguise that comes your way day in and day out, but especially when you are really struggling with something. Latch on to those blessings and make something good to happen, for you and for others. And remember these words, “Struggles can be our greatest blessings.”
Pastor Nathaniel
