A friend of mine has a business that lends money to small businesses so that they can have the funds to give their small business wings. It’s a win-win situation and everybody benefits.

Until they found out that one small business might just be a front. My friend became suspicious and started investigating and phoning. Eventually the phone just kept ringing. I helped him to get in contact with someone at the big company for whom the small company would’ve done the work.

No order had been issued. It was a scam. My friend’s money was gone and he was advised to open a police case.

How can you see the challenges you face as something positive? How will my friend survive this one? The hole in his wallet is simply too big and no plaster can cover it.

With such a bad experience it’s difficult to be excited. He was definitely not feeling joyful. But the recommended way to act is as follows: ²Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours.

God’s Word has always succeeded in recommending the opposite from what the world does. Jesus said to turn the other cheek when someone hits you. When someone wrongs you, tell them you love them. When someone asks you to help carry something a few metres, help another kilometre or so.

If you have to suffer because of your faith, you should be happy. It doesn’t make sense until you realise what it actually does for your faith. You see, you grow stronger. This lifegiving vein, this thing that keeps you alive and will ensure that you will live forever, grows thicker. You have a better chance to make it to heaven one day.

This reminds me of the story about God who told a man he must work for Him. The man had to push against a rock with all his strength. The man did this for months on end.

One day the devil came past and laughed at the man. “How long are you going to continue wasting your strength on that rock? You haven’t shifted it a millimetre in months.”

Discouraged, the man went to God and complained that he had made no progress. But God said that it was His (God’s) work to shift the rock. The man only had to push against it. “Look at your arms and legs, look how your muscles have developed. You are much stronger now.”

When you are wise, you know that suffering makes you stronger. It’s good for your spiritual life. Yes, it’s not easy to keep pushing against the hardship in life, but eventually God makes it work out to our benefit. That’s why we have to keep going. The next season is just around the corner.

Scripture
James 1:1-8

Reflection
What do you do with the hard times in your life?
Do you have the wisdom to see the muscles?
Do you trust God when you’re suffering?

Prayer
Father, I don’t always understand why I have to go through all the suffering. I know in my head that You will make everything work out, but it is still hard. I just wanted to say that to You. Amen.