Thursday Thoughts - When Difficulties Strike

In order to be the best and strongest military wives we can be, it's imperative that we grow individually. In order to help with that growth, we are going to post an encouraging message each Thursday. We hope you are challenged and inspired by the first of the "Thursday Thoughts" series.

Have you ever wondered why some of the most difficult times in our lives come when our faith is growing the most? Maybe you’re like me and you’re asking that very question right now. Several of my friends are in the midst of the most painful situations of their lives thus far – at a time when they feel like their faith is growing more than ever before. Has that ever been you? Is it you right now? Everything seemed to be ticking along at a good pace, with more good days than bad, and then WHAM! You’re hit with the news that a family member is terminally ill. You thought there was resolution in a relationship and then the painful past creeps up again. You find out that the marriage you thought was so strong is now at a breaking point.

I wish I had all the answers to why we experience some of our darkest days when we’re chasing after God like never before. I wish I could listen to each of your stories and provide steps one, two, and three to reaching a place of never-ending bliss on this planet, but that’s just not realistic. However, through God’s Word and my personal journey, I have learned a great deal about why this sort of thing tends to happen and what to do when it does.

As we grow, so does our wisdom. Not every difficulty is a result of a changed perspective or increased wisdom, but some of them are. When we are seeking God’s counsel in areas of our lives, He often points things out to us that need to be addressed and sometimes those things end up causing temporary pain while they’re being worked out. (Colossians 3:1-17; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 12:1-13; James 1:2-5)

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Unless we are allowed to have difficulty in our lives that magnify our weaknesses, we wouldn’t give God’s strength much room to shine. When we think we have it all figured out and know exactly what to do to keep everything together, we rarely let God work in our lives. It’s the difficulties in life that often bring us to our knees and allow God to work in and through us. (Acts 4:23-30; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 4:9; 1 Peter 5:6-7)

God wants us to be examples of His strength and comfort to people who don’t know Him. In rare cases, it’s possible that people could notice great successes in someone’s life and attribute them to God, but they would often attribute them to that person’s work ethic, personality, or skill set. However, when people see difficulty in someone’s life and notice that they are dealing with the situation with an attitude of peace, calm, and trust, they would probably start to wonder where that attitude comes from and may even ask questions. When we let God change our natural attitudes towards difficulty and give Him the glory for doing so, the power in other people’s lives can be incredible. (Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; 1 Thessalonians 6-8; 1 Peter 3:15)

We live in a fallen world. Since Adam and Eve first sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, Satan has roamed the Earth looking for those to destroy. Until we are united with God for eternity in Heaven, Satan will continue to try his hardest to turn people against one another and against God. When people choose to listen to the enemy’s deceit, lives suffer. (Genesis 3; Job 1:7; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 1 Peter 5:8)

Satan wants nothing greater than to paralyze God’s people. As we grow in our faith and start to share it with others, we become more of a threat to the enemy. The very last thing Satan wants is for people to choose God and live a life that is devoted to Him, so he will do everything in his power to put doubt and difficulty in our lives so we take our focus off of the Lord. (Daniel 5:2-3; Ephesians 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:20-21)

Please make this prayer your own…
“Heavenly Father, I confess to you that I don’t understand all the reasons why we face some of our biggest challenges in life when we are growing in our faith the most. Lord, I thank you that I can come to you honestly about this and seek out your wisdom. I pray that you will use your Word and your Holy Spirit to teach me why some of my darkest days come when I’m closest to you. I pray that I continuously lay my anxiety and sorrow at your feet so you can fill me with your peace, joy, and strength. Lord, I trust that you love me so much that you wouldn’t allow something difficult to happen in my life without working it together for your good in the end. I pray that your light would be blinding in my darkest nights and that you’ll keep me in your arms as I allow you to work the situation out through me. Father, protect me from the enemy so that I may be pleasing to you and truly live as your ambassador on this earth. Thank you for all that you are and sharing yourself with me. I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”