I’m still thinking about this question: What should I do when hardship comes knocking at the door of my life now and then, maybe more often for some? Hardship doesn’t wait for me to open the door. It crashes into my life.

Marie says she doesn’t even have a door anymore. She says:

Our story is a story of grace despite all that we’ve lost. Eight years ago, we sold everything in the city and used the money to buy a Karoo farm.

Two years later the drought started to make things hard. We had no feed for the sheep and goats. We just had to spend so much money to build up the farm.

After four hard years of struggling on our own, we had no choice but to sell everything and rent out the farm. We used the money to settle our debts. We started with what we had left and restored the cottages on the farm. Three months later we welcomed our first guests and after a year, we had enough space for 14 people.

We survived by the grace of God. It’s hard work – I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard in my life. We stay on the wrong side of our little village, but enjoy so much grace, and in the winter, we’re fully booked. During the summer, we struggle to survive.

We’re held captive by the virus and with no guests, things are really bad. A few days ago, my husband started working for the tenant of our farm – for the minimum wage. I ordered soap molds, a gift from my sister, and now I make sheep soaps.

We’ve come so close to our Father here, like never before in our lives. I would not trade this life for the life in the city.

Here we learnt to get by with so little and to enjoy the little we had; to get excited about things we wouldn’t even have noticed before. God’s grace is awesome and I thank Him every day of my life, for I have so much …

Despite the hardship, despite one setback after the other, Marie and her husband found peace and discovered God. They’re not blinded by their struggles. They don’t allow the hardship to determine how they feel. They wait on God and keep the faith.

That’s what you do when things are hard. ³⁶But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. Endure, persevere, hold on, and wait patiently when times are hard.

God will provide for us miraculously. Maybe in a completely different way from what we expected, but we will meet Him there and that’s all that matters. Hold onto that. Make it part of your life every day and keep waiting on God …

Scripture
Hebrews 10:32-39

Reflection
How deep are your struggles?
Can you wait on God?
What now?

Prayer
O God, my Father, I’m exhausted from my struggles. I hardly have strength left to keep going. It’s really hard for me to look up and past my hardship. It’s even harder to wait, because these struggles should have been over and done with yesterday! Please help me now.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.