We don’t have to be defeated by tough times
Aboy fell into a dry well one day. He was screaming for help when a farmer came by and heard him. The farmer quickly grabbed a shovel and began shoveling dirt into the well. At first the kid was frightened. He thought, “Why is this idiot trying to bury me?” After a while it became apparent what was happening. As the farmer threw dirt into the well, the boy was able to step higher and higher. Finally, the dirt in the well was high enough to allow the boy to crawl to safety.
The thing that frightened him, the thing he thought was going to kill him, ended up being his salvation.
We all have those “bottom of the well” moments. We look around and realize that we are in trouble. All we can see are the circumstances around us. Then, it just gets worse! More troubles, more pan, more hassles.
Have you ever considered that those rough times are making you better? Can you look beyond the pain of today and see the hope of tomorrow?
If you are going through a rough time, there are a couple of things I would like you to consider.
First of all, you need to know that God knows where you are, and he will never leave you. Just because you are going through tough times doesn’t mean God has left you twisting in the wind.
God is with you right now.
No matter what you might be going through, no matter far you might feel from Him, God is there with you. He might not be felt during certain times, but know that He is there. It is that fact alone, that enables us to be faithful during our bad times. God loves us with a love that is so much more than any of us might love our children. And because He loves us, He will surely take care of us.
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
Second, God’s timing is perfect. A boy watched a butterfly struggling to get out of its cocoon, and decided to help the butterfly out. He slowly peeled the cocoon away, and was horrified to find that the butterfly couldn’t fly. What the kid didn’t know is that the struggle to free itself from the cocoon is important to the development of the wings of the butterfly. Without the struggle, the butterfly was grounded.
Our suffering may be uncomfortable, but it is for our good. The struggles help us grow. Don’t look at how you can get out of your struggles, see what God is trying to grow in you through them.
Remember, God is focused on what is best for us “eternally” and we are focused on what is best for us “instantly”.
Third, we need to stay faithful while we are going through the rough times. If we give up, we can never be all that God wants us to be. It is so easy for us to give up when we don’t see quick results, but we must never give up on God, and our faith must endure the suffering.
During the stress of our storms, it is of crucial that we remember what Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
We all go through tough times, but we don’t have to be defeated by them. Look to Jesus, and take his peace, his strength, and his love. Your life will flourish!