This sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it?
Is it possible to struggle well?
Life is hard. The car breaks down, your child is sick, conflicts arise at work…the list could go on. Hard conversations and disagreements with family and/or a co-worker seem to occur almost daily.
The struggles are real. The battles we face often leave us tired, weary, a bit anxious, or downright stressed out. Can I get an Amen?
God promises us something different. Jesus offers us hope. He can give us strength and courage…a perseverance to run our race. James 1:12
I want to struggle well. As I face my battles daily, I want to live with hope, peace, courage, and strength.
Friends, I think you do as well!
Let’s look at Paul’s life
First known as Saul, he was a Pharisee known for persecuting early Christians. In fact, he was well known for his murderous threats and was given permission from the high priest to arrest believers taking them as prisoners. On his journey to Damascus, he was blinded by a flash from heaven and he heard a voice, “Saul, Saul, why to do you persecute me?” Acts 9:1-16
Saul responds, “Who are you, Lord?”
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…”
Saul was given additional instructions and was blinded for three days. A disciple named Ananias was given instructions by God to meet with Saul and lay hands upon him to restore his sight. Ananias was a bit resistant because of hearing all the reports of harm that was done to the believers.
But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
Ananias did as he was instructed, Saul’s sight was restored and he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 9:17-19
Saul became Paul and his mission of preaching the Good News of Jesus began.
According to the Strong’s Concordance, suffering is used approximately 97 times. What strikes me with so much hope and encouragement is Paul knew that hardships would come his way. Acts 20:22-24
Paul’s letters to the churches (known as the epistles) often included words of encouragement to remain strong, to stand firm when trials appear and to not fall away from the faith. 1 Thessalonians 3:3
In Romans 5:3-5, he writes that through Christ there is peace and joy and as believers we gain access by faith. Verse 3 reminds us that we should rejoice in our sufferings because this produces perseverance, character, and hope. This hope does not disappoint because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us. Paul experienced this in his life. This is a promise for our life as well.
In writing to the church of Corinth, Paul even boasts of his suffering. He gives a detailed list of everything that he had been through; prison, beaten and flogged, stoned almost to death, shipwrecked, naked, hungry, thirsty, and sleep deprived. His concern in writing to these believers was to offer encouragement to stay true to the gospel and free from false teaching and inner strife. 2 Corinthians 11:23-29
In chapter 12 of 2 Corinthians, we see Paul struggling with “a thorn in the flesh”. Three times Paul prayed to have the Lord remove the thorn. Verse 9, God responds, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Verse 10, Paul writes, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Paul saw suffering as an honor for God. Philippians 1:29-30
Action Steps
How do you respond when struggles appear?
No one likes to struggle. And it is hard to consider suffering a privilege. Our faith will be tested. We will be presented with hard decisions. How we respond can be a reflection of our relationship with Christ.
We can struggle well because of Jesus. Paul was able to struggle well because of Jesus. God’s grace was sufficient for him…and it is sufficient for us. Only Jesus can take our past, our brokenness, our sin, and use it to accomplish His mission. And, for this, I am so thankful.
Friends, my prayer is that you, too, live in this truth. While understanding that life is hard, suffering and struggles will come our way; but we can live with hope, strengthened and encouraged because of Christ.
