Looking back over all the years, I’m grateful to God for his patience, grace, love and mercy with me. The times I draw close to God and really feel His presence are wonderful and I get to enjoy a deep sense of peace. There have also been many times I’ve struggled where God seemed somewhere else, and I have persevered feeling spiritually deflated!
Despite this, I have learned over time that when following God’s will, struggling in life does not necessarily mean something is wrong, it often is an indication that we are on the right path and being guided by the Holy Spirit who is our helper, the Spirit of truth who dwells in us, John 14:15-18.
We are called to make a difference in this world, and every decision we make along the way while following God is important. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 that we may be humanly weak, but we don’t use human plans and strategies in our battles against the evil strongholds, we use faith, prayer, and love.
”For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Revisiting the truth that Jesus has already overcome the world should help to ground us and refocus in times of struggle. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Be encouraged as you persevere to carry out His will for your life, we are his sheep and one day we will shout for joy when we get to meet Him!
Blessings, Robert Woods