There isn’t a person alive on this earth who doesn’t have some sort of problem. Whether you are rich and famous or poor and struggling, you have a “thorn” in your side that you wish was not there. What we must realize and understand about problems is that in many cases they serve a purpose in elevating our life to greater heights, but we must be moldable enough to learn the lessons while we are in the midst of the problem. When we have the right attitude and see the trials that are in our path as opportunities for us to become better than we were before, then we will welcome every trial, every stumbling block and every detour that comes our way with the forethought that this struggle will be to our benefit in the end.
No matter where you are in life, you can always become better. Whether you are on the mountaintop looking down or in the valley looking up, I want you to know that God is able to use you right where you are and teach you lessons that will elevate your life to the greatest of heights. We simply must have a trusting heart with the Lord acknowledging His faithfulness to us in times past and remember the many times that He has intervened on our behalf at just the right moment.
Having an attitude of trust in the Lord will keep our hearts at peace because we will know that nothing can come our way without God already knowing about it. And if He knows about it, then what we are currently facing is not meant to bring us to our defeat, but it is meant to strengthen us so that we may stand in victory.
I pray that you will adopt a praise-filled mentality when struggles come your way. Don’t allow the enemy to make you murmur and complain, but rather see with your eyes of faith that every trial, challenge and struggle are meant to strengthen your resolve and equip you with the necessary tools that are required for you to overcome and be triumphant in the soon coming future.
Let me share a little story told by Joseph Mazzella:
“It was a bitterly cold day and six inches of snow had fallen the night before. I was five years old and being bundled up by my Mom in front of the stove. In those days a heavy snow was no reason to cancel school. After my Mom pulled on my mittens and snapped the hood around my head I walked outside to wait for the school bus to arrive.
“The snow was heavy on the old, swinging bridge that led from our house, across the river and to the main road. My brothers and I had grown up walking across it, though, so I wasn’t scared. In fact, when I saw my ten- and twelve-year-old brothers involved in a snowball fight on it I joined right in. After hitting my oldest brother in the back with a well thrown snowball, I laughed while he picked one up to throw back at me. I ran back to the far end of the bridge and thought I was safe, but he flung his snowball at me with all his might. In slow motion I saw the white sphere getting closer and closer. I bent down and ducked thinking it would sail harmlessly over my head. But at the last second the icy missile dropped and instead of bouncing off of my thick coat, it hit me square in the face. It stung so much that I ran crying back inside to my Mom who just shook her head and wiped off my nose, mouth and eyes. Then she smiled, hugged me and sent me back outside to get on the bus and face life once again.
“That wasn’t the last time that I tried to duck the troubles that were headed my way and got smacked in the face instead. Over the years I have learned that it is far better to not duck them at all, but rather to look them straight in the eye and learn what they have to teach me.”
In truth, God uses both the good and the bad to strengthen our souls, open our hearts, and teach us the value of love in this life. And when we cry out to Him, He is always there as well to comfort us with a smile, give us a hug, and send us back out to face life once again.
I hope this encourages and challenges your heart to allow yourself to learn the lessons that life brings your way and let them make you better than you were before.