We now know that faith must be tough, but why? Is there a logical reason why the Lord asks us to strengthen our resolve and meet our difficulties head-on? We are in a spiritual war with a deadly foe tracking us every hour of the day. We need to be in the best shape possible to cope with the darts and arrows he hurls our way. Flabby, overindulged, pampered Christians just don’t have the stamina to fight this battle. Thus, the Lord puts us on a spiritual treadmill every now and then to keep us in good fighting condition.

Just how tough is your faith? How secure is mine? Will we permit the Lord to use our weaknesses, our disability, our disappointment, our inadequacy, to accomplish His purposes? Will you and I worship and serve this Master even in suffering?

Throughout your remaining days in this life, therefore, let me urge you not to be discouraged by temporal cares. Accept the circumstances as they are presented to you. Expect periods of hardship to occur, and don’t be dismayed when they arrive. “Lean into the pain” when your time to suffer comes around, knowing that God will use the difficulty for His purposes – and, indeed, for your own good. The Lord is very near, and He has promised that your temptation will not be greater than you can bear.

(From Dr. James Dobson’s book, When God Doesn’t Make Sense.)

Just Between You and God

• Some situations in life seem unbearable. The loss of a child or spouse, severe disability, and many others can cause us to think life isn’t worth living. But God promises that painful trials can lead to a deeper love and service for our King if we will let go of our burdens and blindly trust Him. Ask the Lord to show you how He will use the circumstances in your life for His purposes. Then be open to hear His answer.
• No matter how deep the hurt that you’ve sustained, God has felt your pain, and He can turn sorrow to joy. There is hope in Him. If you don’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you will never know this hope and unfathomable love until you give your life to Him. You can make that ultimate decision today to surrender your life to Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Savior and Deliverer—the only One who can save you from your sins and give you the free gift of eternal life. Will you pray right now to give your heart to Jesus?

If you would like to become a child of God, pray these words:

Lord Jesus, I do not understand the heavy trials I’m going through. They seem to have no purpose but to cause me pain. But I believe that You can bring peace into my life that is so much bigger than my difficulties. Thank You for dying on the cross to deliver me from my sins. Please forgive me and save me. I receive You as my Lord and Savior, and believe that I now have the free gift of eternal life. Help me to be strong in my new faith and live for You the rest of my life, no matter the adversities that come my way.

If you are already a child of God, pray these words:

Heavenly Father, my faith is not as tough as it needs to be, but I thank You for using my painful circumstances to make me stronger. I submit to Your will and ask You to use me to fulfill Your purposes – regardless of how difficult the path may be. Enable me to please You in the midst of my trials. Amen.

“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.”

2 Timothy 2:3-4

Related Resource:

Dr. Dobson Minute: Finding Strength Through Adversity

It’s hard to cope when things get tough, but persevering means a chance to become stronger than ever. Listen Now >