The cycle of life
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Have you noticed something very interesting? It seems that everyone you know has to deal with some sort of unhappiness or discomfort at different stages. Have you ever taken the time to einquire what the next person is grappling with? Appearances tend to create the impression that all is well and that they may be some of us that can truly walk on water.
I sat down and did a mental list of everyone I know, I had never thought about it in detail but I decided to do so. I started with my friends and family in order of importance and I noticed that every single one of them has a set of problems that I know about, that they are dealing with at the moment.
We are often sold the myth that a person can have problem-free life but that is so untrue. For each issue that you are tasked with dealing with, the very next person has their own set that is before them.
The nature of problems is that they cannot be defined by size, pain is pain, and you are either experiencing discomfort or not. What may differ from person to person is the size of the elephant they may be dealing with, but invariably they have problems too.
I read with interest first 1Peter 5 verses 10 to 11 and, in essence, it highlights that it is inevitable that we must endure and be faced with trials and that God will restore, strengthen and support you through these tribulations and He will place you on a firm foundation.
Have you ever asked yourself how you have managed to survive all the other tribulations that have come before you? Think about it, in the last week you have faced a lot of problems and challenges but you managed to remain standing on the firm foundation God has promised.
The truth of the matter is that when you are going through a difficult time, it is sometimes very easy to forget that just last week something similar, if not worse, happened.
The question is; how did you survive it, where did you obtain the strength to navigate through it and how is it that you are here today? Our circumstaces can sometimes lead us into falsely believing that the things before us will surely destroy us.
The truth, however, is that you are not the author of your own life. Despite your desires sometimes the things you wish and yearn for will not be presented in the manner or form you desire. Put simply, problems will occur but unless the Lord has decided that they will end your life, He will always give you the means to continue living, problems or not.
When confronted with hardships, our minds sometimes shut down to a point where logic is completely lost and irrationality takes centre stage. Yes, you may lose the things you cherish and want to hold on to. Like Paul, you too can have altered circumstaces that are not of your making, but whose immediate benefit is to bring glory to God, not for your sake but someone else’s.
This week you will groan, bear and endure but never lose sight of the fact that we all have to go through the same. As we do, let’s remember that what matters the most is His will for your life and through His power and grace, He will force the circumstaces to be as He wishes.
Before long, the giant in front of you will be gone and not too long from now, another one will emerge. That is the cycle of life, don’t stress, that is what it is.
Remain strong.
Be blessed. 1 Peter 5 vs 10 – 11
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