Dealing with Difficulty
Hello everyone!
Unfortunately, difficulty is a common part of life. We all go through moments or seasons of difficulty that are burdensome. For me, my most recent difficulty has been my beloved mother passing away and going to her heavenly home. The last few days have been the most difficult moments of my life. However, our God is faithful, and He has sustained my entire family. Today, I want to give you three keys when you are dealing with difficulty.
First, I want to encourage you to increase your prayers! Prayer should always be your first line of defense when dealing with difficulty. 1 John 5:14 states, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask ANYTHING according to His WILL, He will HEAR us.” According to John the most effective prayers are those that help us line up our lives with the principles of God’s word. I often say, “You cannot plead the promises of God, while breaking the principles of God.” I am a firm believer that when you live life God’s way, He will sustain you during any difficulty you may face. Prayer is an important key when dealing with difficulty.
Second, I want to encourage you to regain your focus! When dealing with difficulty it is so easy to become distracted by disappointment. It is so easy to get down in the dumps over what you are experiencing in your life right now. Yet, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 encourages us to, “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The scripture is not telling us to thank God for all the bad things that happen to us, but rather despite all the bad things that happen. We must regain our focus and remember that even in the midst of trouble, we still have quite a few reasons to be thankful.
Third, I want to encourage you to lean on your support system! When my mother made her transition to heaven, our family was immediately surrounded by such an amazing support system. Our extended family, our church, our friends, and our community came together to undergird us. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 is certainly true, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; (10) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.” When dealing with difficulty, you need a strong, godly support system to encourage you, pray for you, and help you to carry the load.
Yes, difficulty is a common part of life, even for the believer. Therefore, it is imperative for us when dealing with difficulty to increase our prayers, to regain our focus, and to lean on our support system. I want to live you with the words of Jesus found in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Blessings!!!