How Difficulties Play Out in Our Lives

As we stumble along in our lives experiencing the troubles, tears, and unfairness in our lives, we might say, “But I don’t want to go through this stuff.”  So how do the difficulties in our lives play out?  Why are they essential.  As a faith-based person, I am not saying that God places them in our lives so much as that he allows them in our life.  The difficulties we experience in this life are so genuine, challenging, and defeating at times.  What good can come out of them?

I have given this a lot of thought, and there are a couple of points that are good to be understood here.  The first is that the struggle pushes us for more of a reliance on our faith in God.  These difficulties may run us down and make life very tough, but they cannot defeat us if we fight for the opportunities for the love of others, the joy, and the great faith that we know from God.  These words aren’t an exhaustive list, but recognition of them will change our journey.  It will remind us of a second point, that God isn’t dependent on ‘what we don’t have–he can make up the difference.’  It is no harder for God to give us a little of something than to change our entire life.  He allows the difficulties to remind us that we need to depend on God through our faith.  That even in the most difficult of circumstances, somehow, things are going to work out because we believe in him, in his ability to make up the difference.

The third and final point is that trouble has an expiration date.  None of this will last forever. These experiences will likely change us, but if we look for it, we will find the joy, the newness of our situation, the delight, hope, and gratefulness that give extraordinary fruitfulness in our lives. I encourage you today to replace your fear and frustration with the difficulties in your life with faith and gratitude.  Be thankful that God allows these things in your life as teachers to help you find new understandings and new strengths.  It is never good and easy times when we discover the depth of our souls but through difficult times.  Make them work for you by faith.  I encourage you today to take this time to find your trust and understanding by asking some questions about yourself.  Find those questions and sit quietly and journal what comes to you.  You will find a new strength that has tremendous application in your life and the lives of those you touch.

For more information on How Difficulties Play Out in Our Lives, please see, 7 Strategies to Face Life’s Challenges | Psychology Today

I have more writings on difficulties at Difficulties Have an Expiration Date – Dr. Rich Patterson (pattersonphd.com)

Yours for a Better Life,

Rich