The Hard Places

I am weary, God,

    but I can prevail.

                              Pr 30:1

I came across this proverb in my quiet time today and immediately thought of my husband. He's been suffering for over a year with intense pain and it seems as if we've tried every procedure available. The last resort, back surgery, took place 10 days ago.

Pain is debilitating and discouraging and I, as a wife, sit nearby and wait for healing. I pray because I know my prayers are powerful. But I also know that God uses the hard places in life for growth. No one likes to hear that while they're going through it, so I stay quiet and try to provide comfort as best I can.

The hard places teach us how to endure and persevere, far beyond our own strength or ability. So if you find yourself in one of those places know that He's placed you there for His good purpose.

..."We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."  

Acts 14:22

Don't Quit

Some days I just want to quit.

Quit trying so hard.
Quit trying to eat the right things.
Quit trying to help my husband - with anything.
Quit trying to tell people about Jesus.
Quit trying to get my kids to listen....go ahead son, jump off the dock during a storm.

But I don't because I can't. I mean, I could...but I can't.

The Christian life is one of constant struggle. It's about struggling every day because we're in a war and I fight on the side of good.

The Christian will struggle to overcome - whatever, all the days of her life.

                It's why we're called overcomers.

Struggling for a long time is called perseverance, and we're called to persevere in our faith until the end. That means until we die or Jesus comes back, whichever comes first.

When I feel most like giving up, my Heavenly Father always stands me up. Often, His encouragement comes in the form of a story of someone else who persevered.

This happened to me recently when my son and I were doing homework. We were reading a biography on Thomas Edison to learn about electricity. I was astounded to learn that Al, as he was called, was a cocky guy. He bragged about creating the light of the future and lighting up an entire section of New York City.

The problem, was that he had no idea how he would do it. He even got money from wealthy investors before he went to work. Everything was on track until it came time to find the correct material for the filament. The filament is the conducting wire in the center of the bulb.

Everything he tried burned out too quickly. He tried fishing line, bamboo, spiderwebs, tissue paper, coconut fiber and even human hair!

Guess how long it took? A year and a half later and with over 3,000 experimental materials, he finally found success.

 When I read that I thought, Seriously, he kept trying to find it for over a year and a half? I would have given up after I'd tried 300 materials.

THAT is perseverance! Thomas Edison refused to give up on his vision and purpose, and we all benefit.

Did you know that he was also hard of hearing, and quit school at the age of 12?

    What seems too difficult for you today? What do you need to persevere in?

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:35-36