⁸Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God …

Do you struggle because you are a Christian? Will you live an easier life if someone tells you now that you can resign from Christianity? Are you experiencing repeated attacks by the devil at work, in your business, in your marriage, at school, because others know that you have a living relationship with Jesus Christ?

I’m taking a lot of flak. I can tell you many, many stories about how the devil keeps on attacking us to try and hold us back. Relationships are regularly being tested, systems undergo challenges that provoke certain reactions – yes, there are many opportunities for the devil to hit me in attempts to bring me down. None of God’s children will be free of troubles and hardship.

But fortunately, this comes with an enormous amount of comfort: God will give you strength to remain standing in times of struggle. The promise is not that He will take away the hardship. No, rather He is going to help us get through it.

God, the Almighty, will help you, insignificant little human being, to get through the hard times! Do you realise what power lies in this promise?

Maybe you fear for your life, maybe you no longer see a solution. Maybe this problem has been part of your life for so long that you actually expect that it will still be there tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. God will give you strength to deal with the hardship. I know it doesn’t always feel like it, but today in his Word, God is saying to each of us: You will receive strength to get through the hardship.

Be brave, because not only is God aware of everything in your life, He will also give you strength to get through today until you can lie down tonight and sleep.

Go meet life with a skip in your step today, even if you are dragging along a huge load of baggage. God is with you in your struggle. He is the One that will guide you and persuade you to put down all that baggage so that you’ll have enough strength to keep your faith in God’s goodness until the end.

Talk to Him all the time. Tell Him about your problems. Ask his advice about how to deal with every situation. He is always there for you on the mountains as well as in the valleys of your life.

Scripture
2 Timothy 1:8-10

Reflection
Where are you struggling?
Do you believe that God will give you strength?
Are you spending enough time at Jesus’ feet?

Prayer
Father, I’m struggling. I don’t know which way to go. You know it. Thank you for the promise that You will walk with me. That’s why I ask You to please help me through today’s struggles. Show me the doors I need to open. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.