A Different Way To Look At Hard Times

“Without conflict and struggle there is no growth.”

This was the random statement that my eldest son came out with on the way to church last Sunday. It sparked my attention so we entered into a very interesting conversation. It was still rolling around in my mind once we got to church and I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I wrote notes during the service. Naughty I know. Don’t you find God seems to speak to you at the most seemingly inopportune times? eg. the shower, anything in the bathroom really, just when you are about to go to sleep? Any of these sound familiar?

Around 3 years ago I went through a very intense 9 months. The Lord had said to me that I was to be ‘sifted’. My favourite Apostle, Peter, was sifted by the enemy in Luke 12:31. What is interesting, the following verse (32) says, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Even though I in no way experienced the persecution of the early Church, (or what horrors some are experiencing today), the rejection and torment that followed in my situation was excruciating.

The Lord had previously warned me that I would be betrayed by someone close to me. What was to come whacked me up the side of the head so hard that it took me a long time to get back up. The pain of betrayal felt as though part of my soul had died.

Then the lies came …..

….. thick and fast from the demonic realm.

“You can never trust anyone ever again.”

“All people are the same. They will always treat you this way. You are not worth anything more.”

“The pain will go away if you die. You will always feel this way if you live.”

Why is this a big deal? Why did it hurt so much? Because I had been lied to all my life – until my husband. This was almost the last straw. I HATE lying with a passion. (By the way, it wasn’t my amazing husband who hurt me.)

I had demonic visitors in the night that would torment my mind with horrific nightmares and try and scare me to death – literally. I could find no peace in this 9 months. I could hardly function as the torment and burden was overwhelmingly heavy. I was homeschooling 6 children as well as trying to love my amazing husband and keep the house in some sort of order. Depression had definitely set in and despair was knocking at the door.

Many other things happened too but I won’t go into that here.

Most people would have been through or are going through an intense time that seems to threaten to overwhelm them.

Are you in the midst of a challenge that you wonder if it will ever end? If not, do you remember a time when you were in that challenge? How did you or do you feel about it?

To be honest, I didn’t learn much while I was in the midst of it but one day the Lord said to me, “It is over. I will hold back the demonic realm and give you rest.” I was completely exhausted. What on earth was the purpose of that horrible 9 months!

Would you like to know what I learned?

I needed to be broken.

Did God make me have this trial? No. Did He allow it? Yes – but I already had an open door.

You see, there were so many things that needed to be broken within me. My insecurity was bigger than God in my mind. I was leaning on and trusting people WAY too much instead of trusting God. I was trying to get my identity from people instead of the One who created me – my Father in Heaven. Not good!

Can you relate to any of these?

Being on the other side of this awful time, I am now extremely grateful for it.

I learned:

• On earth is the only opportunity we have to choose to worship God, to build our character, and to walk towards maturity.
• Everything in life has a starting point and an ending point – including trials and challenges.
• In Heaven, there is no resistance therefore no growth.
• Our identity must always be in God and never in other people or what we can do.
• God is truly the only one who will NEVER let you down and you can ALWAYS trust Him.

Diamonds and butterflies work through intense resistance to become beautiful and to full maturity.

Just as they do, so must we.

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:3-5

We are to strive towards intimacy with and maturity in Christ. This is the ultimate goal for your life.

Some questions to help you get through the hard times.

In a trial or challenge ask yourself:

• What is God wanting to show me?
• Who does God want to be for me in this situation?
• What part of me has to die?
• What facet of God does He want to reveal to me?
• What will have to grow in me at the end point of maturity?
• What is the next step I need to take?

It’s important to process in the secret place with the Lord and THEN with those who are close to you.

Take time to sit with Jesus with a pen and paper in a quiet place where you don’t have to rush. Get up 15 minutes earlier so you can have that special time with Him. Ask Him these questions. He wants to answer them.

If you are not used to doing this, that’s ok. A suggestion would be to sit, maybe read a Psalm like Psalm 43 and 46. Imagine Jesus sitting next to you, ask Him one of the above questions and ask Him to speak to you in words or a picture in your mind. Now write down whatever comes to you – no matter how silly it may seem. You can sift through it afterwards. If what you hear or see is outrageously good or helpful, I can assure you that’s from the Lord.

Go over what you received and find other Psalms that will encourage you to hang in there.

Don’t ever be afraid to speak or yell your heart to the Lord. He is a good Father who knows your thoughts anyway so you may as well tell Him. He has broad shoulders and He knows your heart. He loves you and longs for you to share your heart with Him – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

There is an end point to everything.

I pray alongside you that you will grow towards maturity and that your breakthrough will come swiftly.

If you would like prayer, please place your request in the comments below or send me an email here. I would love to pray with you. If you know of anyone who is going through a hard time and would like to be encouraged, please share this post with them. Remember, it will end!

Have a fantastic week and hold on, breakthrough is coming!

(Photo Credit: www.pexels.com)