This morning I found myself thinking about “difficulties”. We all have them in our lives at some point or another. In fact, life seems to ebb and flow, as difficulties and good times seem to intersect.
‘Difficulties’, as defined by dictionary.com is > “a trouble or a struggle; an embarrassing situation; reluctance; unwillingness.”
No one wants them. We would love to avoid them at all costs. One thing is for sure …
Difficulties test our faith.
Yet Peter tells us, difficulties will not be avoided but rather we can expect them:
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange is happening to you. Instead, be very glad – for those trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to the world.” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NLT)
There are a few things Peter tells us about difficult times:
- Don’t be surprised. We always seem to think life should be easy or at best, easier than it is. Yet Peter reminds us not to be surprised but rather know it. It is not “if” we go through hard times but “when”.
- Difficulties can bring us closer to the Lord. We become partners with Christ. We become linked with Christ for His purposes.
- It’s a test. God often uses situations as a “test”, a means of strengthening our faith and ability to trust Him. The New American Commentary states, “God uses suffering as a means to purify his house (i.e., the church of God as his temple) … Sufferings are not a sign of God’s absence but of his purifying presence.” (Volume 37, page 219)
- God uses us in the midst of our difficulties. As those around us see the way in which God sustains us, they see His power at work in us. We become an example of God’s power at work in spite of our weaknesses.
- There is a joy coming. While we can have joy in this life, even in the midst of hard days, God has a future joy which is unsurpassed, not yet experienced.
So don’t let today’s difficulties surprise you. Instead, know He is working in you that which will last forever. Psalm 30:5 tells us, “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” And that rejoicing is the jumping up and down kind of rejoicing. No holding back. Sheer exuberance.
Hang on.
Joy comes!
Today I am joining … Thought Provoking Thursday and Looking Up .
Absolutely love that b&w picture you used, but your words stick in my head, because I’ve been thinking about “difficulties” lately too. It’s been a rough summer, but I’m convinced that more than the difficulties themselves, my own response to the difficulties has been the bigger issue. Oh, how we need a Savior.
Michele, I read this earlier & took some time to pray for you. Sorry that it has been a difficult summer. May God lead you as you respond & grow during this time. Blessings!
Joanne, thank you for your caring concern and kind words. Thanks most of all for praying.
This is great! So often the world and even other Christians would say that we are doing something wrong if we are going through hard times but the truth is difficulties are a part of this life and God is working in us as we go them. I have been going through some hard things and my typical response is to complain and have a pity party. But God has really been working on my heart and showing me that he wants me to grow and mature through the hard things and not give in to my flesh. We can choose joy and as we do, he fills us to overflowing despite our circumstance. Thanks for your encouraging post! Linking up with you at #lookinguplinkup 🙂
We do have a choice in how we respond. I find it easy to remember in hindsight & harder in the moment as emotions can be overwhelming. May we remember in the moment is my prayer 🙂
Love that picture and your thought. Joy comes!! Tests and trials only draw us closer to Him if that is where our focus is. ♥
I want to remember the night is only so long. Morning does come as surely as the sun rises. May we remember that in the night. Thank you for blessing me time & time again, Nannette.
This is such a great way to begin my day-knwoing that joy is a coming even in our challenges and struggles. I’m going to need to highlight 1 Peter 4 in my own Bible to turn to when life is overwhelming and feels anything but joyful. Love your words and you!!
Mary, I did the very same thing when I read that verse recently. I want to remember the morning does come & with it, the joy. You are such an encourager & I am glad He crossed our paths! XO
Yes, this is great encouragement, Joanne, that we need to know that joy is always coming and is deep within already. I read somewhere today that the only different between happiness and unhappiness is time. I need to think on that a little more.
Lisa, may we remember & hold onto the joy within us. Blessings today!
Hi Joanne,
I absolutely love this, “Sufferings are not a sign of God’s absence but of his purifying presence.” Often times, as Christians, we pray to reflect His light more and more. But in order to reflect His light, He has to peel off layers of us, so we can put on more of Him. This is a great reminder to hold on because it’s within the difficulties that we become more like Jesus and the more like Him we become, the more joy we will have in the end.
We can so lose sight of that when going through difficulties. It is in hindsight that we often see His hand at work. Thank you so much for stopping & sharing with me!