Patience in Trouble



The struggle is real.

We all have struggles in life. Whether it’s at work, in our marriage, with the kids, in our Spiritual life… Life can just be overwhelming at times.

I’ve, as of late, been struggling with balance. Balancing being a wife, a friend, an employee, a newly self-published author and a disciple of Christ. And if I’m being honest, I don’t think I’m faring well. I feel like every part of my life is only getting a subpar effort. And I’m exhausted.

What do you do when you feel like a failure and are completely overwhelmed? Remain steadfast in your trust of the Lord (Psalm 119:31). No one is perfect. [Amen!] We all stumble at times. We may have full seasons of stumbling, or we may just have a few moments. It may seem like all we do is stumble—but the Lord holds our hands and keeps us from falling (Psalm 37:23-24). Ground your feet, and keep going (Psalm 24:16a).

Take heart that God’s mercy never ends (Lamentations 3:22-23). We are typically our worst critics. But if God—the Creator, the All-Mighty Judge—forgives us and takes mercy on us, why can’t we? Be patient with yourself, as God is patient with you (Hebrews 10:35-36). Seek His counsel (Number 32:23) to show you how to do/be better. Trust His Word.

For me, I acknowledge the perspective of the ‘real world’ problems: poverty, hunger/starvation, threat of war, natural disasters, etc. These are the things that make me feel insignificant and selfish. But as I watch the news reports today bombarding me with reminders of 9/11 sixteen years ago and hurricane damage, I am grateful for the struggles I have. Yes, there are people that have it much worse than my very blessed life. But, it’s more than that. Our struggles shape us. We are a work in progress (some days, we see more work than progress) (Romans 5:3-5). When I feel like an utter failure at times, I gird my feet and allow Him to fill in where I fail.

Romans 12:12: Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. [Amen!]

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