Struggles Deepen Our Appreciation For The Lord

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

We all have many struggles in life. Situations arise that are beyond our control, greater than our ability to deal with them. We face difficulties unlike anything we have previously experienced, and too often our struggles seem in vain.

In the year 2010 I was clearly dying. My health had continued in an ever increasing decline. I had little strength to struggle and little hope of enduring, much less overcoming my situation. At a time when I rarely left the house and had little strength to even leave my chair, the idea of continuing to struggle against what seemed inevitable left me feeling hopeless.

The feelings of helplessness that comes from striving against struggles that take us to our limits can leave us doubting ourselves, doubting God, and wondering what we did wrong or didn’t do right. 

We need wisdom from the Lord, especially in situations where we are struggling to both endure and overcome. And often we must place the struggle into God’s hands, for there are things that are bigger than us, too much to endure on our own. We need Jesus to take control and change what appears to be an unchangeable situation.

By the summer of 2011 I had begun to believe I would endure and recover a measure of health. There were times I was afraid to hope and believe, and there were opportunities to disbelieve. Yet, God had turned things around and given me back a measure of health that seemed no longer possible just months earlier. It felt as if the Lord had brought me back from the dead.

Nothing is impossible with God. Hopeless situations are His specialty. Never rule out what our Lord can do. You may be struggling with a terrible situation, or you may feel you have no strength left for the struggle ahead. Do not rely upon your own strength, but invite Jesus into your struggle, ask Him to turn around what seems hopeless and beyond your strength to endure.

Prayer: Dear Lord, life brings many hardships our way in a variety of forms. No matter the struggle facing us, we ask You to intercede and overcome through and in us. In Your precious Name we pray. Amen.