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| - Road Closed sign riddled with bullets - (Photo credit: Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL)) |
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Psalm 13:2
New International Version (NIV)
How often do you wish life would be easier? Sure, it sounds nice to never have a problem in the world. If we could just rest easy knowing that we would never have any financial worries, that everyone would always think we were wonderful, and that sickness would never befall us. It's a wonderful dream, but it is only a dream. It's not gonna happen.
Even the richest, the most powerful, and the most beautiful people have those times when their confidence falters. Many of the greatest have eventually fallen. After all we are all only human. And blessings are relative. We may envy the talents or possessions of another, but we may also not see what turmoil dwells within those who appear to be abundantly blessed.
The truth is that we are each blessed in our own way and even our hardships may be viewed as blessings. Real strength comes through surviving the ordeals that we encounter in our lives. It is we ourselves who turn ant hills into mountains and stones in the road into insurmountable obstacles. If we struggle with demons that we ourselves have created then we must conquer them or how can we expect to conquer the real demons of this world?
We should not let sin, self-defeating thoughts, or internal conflict beat us into submission. That's what Satan wants us to do. We don't have to surrender to weakness or feelings of powerlessness. We have an advocate in our Almighty Creator. He wants us to succeed. Troubles that we face may be unpleasant, but getting past them will make us bigger, stronger, and better in every way.
Even the richest, the most powerful, and the most beautiful people have those times when their confidence falters. Many of the greatest have eventually fallen. After all we are all only human. And blessings are relative. We may envy the talents or possessions of another, but we may also not see what turmoil dwells within those who appear to be abundantly blessed.
The truth is that we are each blessed in our own way and even our hardships may be viewed as blessings. Real strength comes through surviving the ordeals that we encounter in our lives. It is we ourselves who turn ant hills into mountains and stones in the road into insurmountable obstacles. If we struggle with demons that we ourselves have created then we must conquer them or how can we expect to conquer the real demons of this world?
We should not let sin, self-defeating thoughts, or internal conflict beat us into submission. That's what Satan wants us to do. We don't have to surrender to weakness or feelings of powerlessness. We have an advocate in our Almighty Creator. He wants us to succeed. Troubles that we face may be unpleasant, but getting past them will make us bigger, stronger, and better in every way.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:3-4
New King James Version (NKJV)
So true, Arlee. We often bulk at difficulties, just like we bulk at exercising. But the truth is we are the ones who lose out when we do.
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