We all have different struggles in life. My Mom had a green thumb when it came to flowers. She left me 25 African Violet plants when she went to Heaven, all from one that I gave her. She just kept propagating them. I tried it just like she did, but mine never got big and beautiful like hers. This one struggled for its life and though it was blooming, it shriveled up and died not too long after that. What kind of struggles are you facing?
“Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9, NIV
Why does it have to be so hard? That’s something I often ask the Lord when I’m having a bad day, when things go wrong, when I work hard for something only to find it slip out of my reach. Joshua told the Israelites to not lose heart. They saw the troubles they’d already had and what was waiting for them as they moved forward to possess the land, and they were losing their nerve, their energy, and their desire to keep going. Joshua told them to be strong and courageous. Get with the program! Don’t be afraid and discouraged. Remember what God has done for you in the past and that He is still with you and will continue to be with you wherever you go. The same holds true for us as well.
Is it time for a pep rally? When I’m in the midst of a down day and struggling with life’s issues, the last thing I want is someone trying to cheer me up, though I know that’s what I really need. Human nature likes to wallow in self-pity for a time before it gets up, dusts itself off, and presses on. So after I catch myself down in the pits, it’s time for a pep rally. I put on some praise music, listen to some podcasts, read, meditate on God’s Word, and seek out answers to my struggles. What Joshua told the Israelites in the verse above is a good starting point for my own pep rally.
How do we face our struggles? There’s basically three ways we can face our struggles: alone, with others, and with God. Facing our struggles all alone is not the best option, but understandably at times that is our only option…at least at the moment. Jesus is always right there to help us in our struggles and weaknesses, but often we don’t think about it and think we’re all alone and try to figure things out ourselves. In the verse below, Paul asked his brothers and sisters in Christ to join him with the things he was struggling with by praying for him. Having someone come alongside us in our struggles can be a big boost to our morale. Sometimes all we need is someone to help us see a different view of the struggle that will either solve it or give us strength to work through it. Having someone praying for us is a very big help.
“I urge you, brothers and sisters,
by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,
to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.”
Romans 15:30, NIV
I asked a friend to pray for me in a situation I knew I would be in. When I was in that moment, I remembered that my friend was praying for me, and it brought such comfort to me and gave me a burst of spiritual energy to keep plodding along in the strength of the Spirit.
Struggles make us strong. Think about the butterfly that is all nice and cozy in the cocoon of the caterpillar. I love butterflies because they’re so pretty and quiet and to me are a symbol of new life. If you would open a cocoon to let the caterpillar out, you would be destroying it. It needs to fight its way out to become strong. There’s a lesson in that for us, too, because when we fight out way through struggles, we become stronger than we were before. Christ within us through His mighty power working within us makes us strong.
“That’s why I work and struggle so hard,
depending on Christ’s mighty power
that works within me.”
Colossians 1:29, NLT
All that Jesus went through in life made Him stronger day by day so that when the end came and He was physically weak, He was spiritually strong in God. God’s strength was made evident in Jesus’ weakness as He struggled through the end of His life on earth.
PRAYER POINT FOR TODAY:
Lord, as I struggle with things in life, keep reminding me to bring them to You and depend on You for the strength I need to get me through. Thank You for Your might power working within me.
- Week 1 – temptation
- Week 2 – confession, forgiveness, and fasting
- Week 3 – listening to God and answering when He calls
- Week 4 – God’s love for us
- Week 5 – waiting, anxiety, and trust
- Week 6 – suffering (W), pain (T), and struggles (F-S), rejoicing (Palm Sunday), Trials (M-T-W), Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday
- Easter – resurrection and salvation