Some things that are part of life we don’t want to talk about. We’d rather turn a blind eye and pretend it doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, these things often involuntarily and unexpectedly show up at our front doors. 

Hardship. No one likes facing hardships or challenges. I suspect our defence mechanisms are already set up in such a way that we want to avoid it with everything in us. It’s very human. 

And when it comes up, it’s even more human to start questioning it. Why this again? Why am I being singled out to carry this one again? And then the one that most of us stop at: Why, God? 

One thing I believe: God does not create hardship in our lives. Remember, God is a loving God who only wants the best for His children. I do believe that God allows challenges to come our way.  

I also believe that God knows how much hardship we can bear before our bones break. He will not allow this. Unfortunately, there are things we can only learn through suffering. 

I believe that if we learned in good times as we learned in hard times, the hard times wouldn’t be necessary. If things always go well, we tend to wander off and become part of the world. 

In good times we don’t need God and then we think we can tackle the world on our own. This is the catch, because on our own and with our own judgment we are very dangerous and often choose wrongly. 

This is where God lets us go, even though it hurts Him to see us bleed because of our own choices. I know we don’t want to hear it, especially when we are in pain and bleeding, but sometimes we need to hear it to give us the courage to get back up and face the challenge. 

However, we must try not to allow ourselves to be criticised and suffer because we’ve done wrong. Listen to this: 17It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. 

Christians do not march totally in step with the world’s people. Our doing right and their doing right do not always match. For example, when we don’t want to do a deal under the counter, a lot of unnecessary and degrading words can come our way. 

That’s fine, because the reason is we’re standing up for what’s right. Sometimes we can be harmed and suffer because of that. But if the challenges come our way because of our own stupid choices and wrongdoing, we just have to take the punishment and recover where we can. 

So, let’s make sure that our actions are in line with God’s will and don’t get caught up unnecessarily. And if we have to fight because we’re doing right, let’s do it for the glory of God’s name. 

Scripture
1 Peter 3:13-18

Reflection
Where are you suffering?
Have you partly caused it?
Where do you need to change to live in God’s will only? 

Prayer
Father, I struggle and sometimes it’s hard to make the right choices so that my legs don’t break. Help me to bear my hardships and help me to live within Your will only. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.