Encouragement Through Hardships

Hardships are hard for many of us to accept but we can be encouraged if we are truly believers.  Please read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

There are many people suffering and the result of their suffering might result in the salvation of souls.  It seems like suffering brings us closer to God.  I have said over the years that when a person is lying on their back, they are looking up.  Many times we are so busy running here and there with so many things that we or our kids or grandkids are involved in, that we seem to forget our commitment to the Lord in the process.  It seems like our Bible study time becomes shorter and shorter and also our prayer life suffers because of so much time spent in other activities.  Sometimes there are different sports events on Wednesday and even on Sunday so we don’t make it to church.  But think of this, when we are down and can’t get around and wondering what happened to us and we want answers, we will in many cases look to the Lord.  I think that it has been proven that persecution helps build a strong community (church).

I can testify that in my experience I went through years of depression, which was what I call a blessing now.  At the time I was going through it, it was a very hard and long struggle, but in the end I realized it drew me much closer to the Lord.  I pressed into the Lord closer in my prayer life and all the other aspects of Christianity and now I can thank the Lord for what He did in and through my life.  

God can use sickness or lose or persecution or difficulties or whatever circumstance we find ourselves in to help us get back on track where we should have been all along.  And if we look at these things in a positive way, the Lord can also use the things that we have experienced in our lives to help others when they may be going through difficult times in their lives, praise the Lord!!  You may not think that this is true but suffering perfects the followers of the Lord and helps them to persevere.

Please read Hebrews 10:32-39, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

I have given you something to think about and I hope this will encourage you.  Fight the good fight of faith and never give up!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours with His perfect peace, love, joy, health and happiness and may you have a super, super day!!