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Life on earth is hard, there’s no doubt about that. I understand this because I experienced it. It doesn’t matter what your age or your career or where you live, life has its difficulties and trials for everyone.
I know it’s difficult to understand why I allow tests and trials. Why don’t I make life easier? Why are there always difficulties and problems to solve? Whether it’s with family, career, finances, health, or the daily fight to be a true Christian, it seems battles of some degree are par for the course. Through solving problems, you learn and you become better. You become a better wife or husband; you become a better parent, better at your career, and a better reflection of My Spirit.
You might not feel like you’re getting better, but everything you go through, each battle you fight and learn from, is giving you valuable experience. You’re being taught how to face the next challenge with more understanding. The fact that you continue to tackle life’s difficulties and find solutions to them through looking to Me is one of your greatest strengths.
To avoid all problems in life is not the goal. To never have to do anything difficult or demanding is not realistic. You, My children, have battles and hardships, but the important thing to remember is that you also have spiritual and practical training that helps you to handle life’s trials with grace, patience, and perseverance. You have Me, My Word, and all the help I can give you from the spirit world—and that’s a lot of help. You don’t have to try to figure out everything, because I’m here to help you. You’re not alone in your hard work of reaching your goals, because I’m always around to counsel you and show you what to do.
You have the guidance and encouragement of My Word to help you through any battle, and still keep your sanity and peace of mind, no matter how long it takes to reach the victory. Yes, some battles are very stressful to fight, and you might wonder if you’re going to make it and if you will still be sane when you emerge from them. But you can always count on peace of mind. I will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Me, all whose thoughts are fixed on Me!1
So many who don’t know Me personally feel lost and at the end of their rope and their mental capacity to hold on. They don’t have the firm ground of the rock of My Word to stand on. You do, and you always will. So when you’re in the heat of battle, rememberthat you will make it and I will pull you through. You never have to fear that you’re going to be lost or sink into oblivion, no matter how intense the battles or pressures of life, because I am strong to hold you fast.
You have to fight hard in order to make it through life’s tests; you have to work hard to be successful, and these things won’t change. If you’re thinking, “Pretty soon everything will be easy and I won’t have to fight hard anymore,” then you’ll be in for disappointment. You will always have to fight hard to stay close to Me and to continue to be successful in your service for Me, but you will get stronger along the way.
You are more skilled at spiritual battle than you realize. You have to get desperate with Me for the anointing you need to carry on with your career and other responsibilities, as well as being a Christian and a witness for Me. That takes a lot of faith, a lot of perseverance, a lot of love for Me and others, a lot of dedication and commitment, and a high amount of conviction. I commend you highly for your excellent service. Even if it’s not full-time service, if it’s quality, it’s exceptional, because it’s from your heart, and I will take and use whatever you give Me. I will multiply your efforts and use you where you will be most fruitful and effective. I’m proud of you and I commend you for playing a valuable part in My kingdom.
I know that your particular circumstances may make it difficult, and even though battles will continue to be part of life, I want you to know that I am here for you. I promise to give you grace and anointing that will help you in the many battles that you fight. I can’t take the trials away, because they’re part of life, and you need them to help you to continue learning and to be stronger, but I can help you to learn quickly and to fight effectively. And I will, because I love you and need you.
You are being strengthened when you do your best to live your faith each day. You are valuable to Me and to the lost of the world. You may not fully realize how important and valuable your role as a witness for Me is, but it is important.
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I have chosen you out of the world.2 I said that to My first disciples long ago, and I say it to you now. Meditate on what that means. One of its meanings is that I have chosen you to come out of the world in spirit—to become one who is not living for the values of this world, but for those of the spiritual world.
Yours is a legacy that will last for eternity—the legacy of a disciple of Jesus, of a believer in that which is unseen. Someday all will be revealed; the now invisible will become apparent. In that day, those who believed by faith will be truly blessed.3 Those who chose not to believe or follow what they couldn’t perceive with their natural mind will have regrets, while you who choose to follow Me in faith, to live a life based on faith, will enter into rewards which will make every test of life worth the cost.
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Learn from great men and women of bygone years, those who fought for a great cause, those who gave for the betterment of mankind, those who came to their personal limit and then gave a little more. Their testimonies will inspire you.
Remember that decisions to take just one more step, to give to just one more person, to help to fill a need just one more time, are the daily building blocks of a godly life. Subtly, over time, your character is being formed and your temperament is being fashioned. Those tiny and sometimes even unnoticed decisions to do good will slowly build your character, and will help you to reach your full potential as a man or woman of God.
Originally published March 2009. Updated and republished July 2012.
Read by Simon Peterson.
copyright@thefamilyinternational
1 Isaiah 26:3 NLT.
2 John 15:19.
3 John 20:29.
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