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The difficulties that you face in life are what shape character. They are tools that I use to make you into the men and women that I need you to be, and that you desire to be. I know you think that you’d be better off without a lot of the difficulties that come your way, and that all they do is stand in the way of you performing My will, but this is another of those times you’ll just have to trust that I know best.
I don’t always put My will in front of you like a bowl of cookies and say, “There it is, go for it.” It’s often high and hard to reach, and the struggles and the climb you go through to reach your goals are what I use to make you what you need to be.
I say this because I know a lot of the things you’re going through, these difficulties, these “trials of life,” are things that come up in the process of endeavoring to do My will and be what I’ve asked of you. Even things like having a strong marriage, bringing up children, having a strong spiritual life, and being an example and witness to those who don’t know Me, are things you do for My glory, and often it’s in performing these things that you fall short and have troubles and difficulties and feel condemned.
You feel like you’d love to do all that I’m asking of you, but life gets in the way and makes everything so difficult. But, that isn’t just “life”; that’s Me. I want you to understand this so you won’t feel condemned and worried. I am the one who says, “Go attain to this height,” and I am also the one who allows the rain and the snow and the obstacles that get in your way.
I want you to fight to reach for My will, but I also allow difficulties and problems along the way, and I use those difficulties and problems as My tools in your life. What else keeps you humble and broken and dependent on Me? What else teaches you the lessons that you need to learn? I know you sometimes wish that when I bring obstacles or challenges into your life, they could be a more useful variety, something more understandable, more logical, and easier to combat, rather than these things that seem to be at odds with what I’m asking you to do.
I know how you wish that any wounds or losses would come only from the front lines of the mission field and the front lines of your active service for Me, not difficulties from your personal situations, your own mistakes, your marriage, your children, your own doubts, weaknesses, or even besetting sins. But, if something comes into your life, then you must know that I have a reason for allowing it, and it’s not exempt from My promise that all things will someday work together for good, even these things that seem negative and unhelpful.
I know how you struggle with these tedious problems and difficulties and wish they were gone so that you could focus on bigger things, better things, seemingly more noble things, but My plan is for you to fight to overcome the obstacles you are facing today, whatever they may be and from whatever direction they might come, and to not get weary in well-doing, nor get condemned about the source from which they come or the reasons for which they come.
If I were to let this cup pass from you—this cup of all the little trials of life, all the little battles you’re embarrassed to fight—then you would never grow in the ways that you must, and you would never be the comforters and counselors and strength to others that you could otherwise be.
Remember that long-term battles often have long-term victories. The battle may not stop from one day to the next, but it can lessen as you grow in your understanding and knowledge of how to fight. Some victories are gained gradually, as you gain ground inch by inch, till at last you realize that you’re standing alone on the field with your enemies routed and defeated.
But that kind of victory is so much less glamorous than those with quick resolutions and quick, happy endings. Your flesh tires of the long, painful struggles, the protracted battles against unglamorous foes. You want to fight something that seems worthy, something that you can feel proud of, something that would seem worth your while to fight.
But without the tests, there would be no testimony. Without these nagging difficulties and challenges, your faith would not be as tested. It’s glamorous to fight a giant, but it takes humility, patience, and persistence to fight weeds.
You feel like such a warrior if you go head to head with giants of sin and evil and defeat them, but you feel like a failure when you have to plug along, dirty and sweaty, in the garden, rooting out and replanting again and again. Few have written songs or poems about the struggles of the gardener, and yet it is a struggle just the same, and in some ways a nobler one than the glorious but quick victories of legend.
I call you to both kinds of battles in your life, and you cannot praise Me for one but begrudge the other. You have to understand that both are your lot to fight with your whole might and soul.1 I give you big, showy battles to test your faith and courage, and I also give you long, tedious, embarrassing battles to test your strength and resolve and teach you humility. All the while in My wisdom I am molding you into a better warrior and fighter who is ready to battle big or small, showy or not, and win in any circumstances.
I am the author and the finisher of your faith, so trust Me, and look to Me, and know that I’m not going to let you suffer any longer than you have to. If you do your part, then your faith will be strengthened, you will gain maturity and depth through experience, and when I see fit to deliver you, you will have come through as gold.
I’m sorry that you have to struggle so much with “trials of life” that you wish could just be over. I’m not unsympathetic, because I know that these things are difficult and that they’re not joyous for the present. But I’m hoping that as you come to understand that there are reasons why I allow these things, you’ll be able to praise Me through them, and become able to let My joy live in you despite these problems and difficulties.
You could make some percentage of the battles stop and go away by settling for less. By reaching for high goals, you’re as good as telling Me that you want the biggest rewards and dividends for your investment. You’re shooting high, doing the best you can to fulfill what you feel I’ve asked of you, and you can expect Me to do My part and come through with blessings and rewards and miracles for you.
I admire you for, in essence, choosing these battles and struggles, as tough and as arduous as they can sometimes be. I know you probably don’t look at it much like that, because if it were up to you, you’d much rather be without them. But if you look at it from My perspective, I see you as brave and willing and sacrificial and worthy of great reward.
Praise through every difficult experience, and count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing that the trial of your faith worketh patience.2 This verse doesn’t just say to count it all joy when you fall into a battle for righteousness’ sake, but even when you fall into diverse temptations, which could mean your own mistakes or some of the little nagging annoyances of life.
The process of growth and experience might sometimes be painful, but the end result is so beautiful. So learn to be happy even through the difficulties, because they aren’t all going to go away. Although you will gain victories and leave some difficulties in the past forever, you’ll continue to have new challenges, and sometimes you will have to keep an attitude of victory even though the circumstances don’t change. But I am greater than the struggles, and if you have your heart and eyes set on Me, then you too can live above them, and not let them rob you of your happiness.
And when you feel weary, come to Me and I will give you rest and comfort. Whether you feel you’re in a worthy battle or an unworthy one, My love for you is the same. Keep fighting in My name and with My strength, knowing that victory will come in the end because I have promised it.
Originally published March 2006. Updated and republished May 2012.
Read by Stephen Larriva.
1 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV).
2 James 1:2–3.
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