What if it didn’t hurt?
What if it wasn’t hard?
What if people didn’t let you down?
What if loved ones never died?
What if we didn’t have to struggle?
Why is this life so hard?
Why do we have to endure all of this?
Why did God do it this way?
Questions I’ve been quietly pondering when I think about people I know. People struggling with sickness, cancer, death. People I know who have hurt others. People I know who have had to endure so much.
And people like me. Who have a great life. Struggles, sure. Worries, sometimes. Heartache, of course. But people like me blessed far beyond what we deserve yet still every day we face hard things.
Why do we constantly face hard things?
Ultimately, I know the reason is sin.
But beyond sin. What do these struggles accomplish in us?
I believe there is purpose.
Purpose that we can’t even begin to fully understand, yet at the same time can see a glimmer of hope.
Our problems and trials help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. Romans 5:3-5
Did you catch that?
This hope that we get from enduring trials WILL NOT lead to disappointment.
Would we really long for Heaven if Jesus and our loved ones weren’t there?
Would we really pursue a relationship with Jesus if things were good all the time?
Would we really long for someone who will never let us down if we hadn’t been let down in this life?
I don’t think God wants us to hurt.
He loves us more than we love our children and we don’t like to see them hurt.
But because this life is going to have struggles, God can use each one of them for our good.
He warns us about the trials and sorrows we will face in this life.
But He knew and wants us to know, it’s only for a little while. This life is fleeting.
Take heart, be encouraged, He has overcome the world.
