Hard things

"All noble things are difficult."- Oswald Chambers

I hate doing difficult things. I mean I really hate it. I just want life to be a ride of one fun, easy minute to the next. I know that's kind of an immature way to be, but it's how I am. I really resist difficulty in any area of life. I guess in some ways, that comes from a desire for things to be like they're supposed to be. I don't think God intended for life to be difficult. I think pain and difficulty are a result of falling from what we were intended to be, and I can't wait to see what it's like when we're made into who we really are, perfect in Christ and completely whole.

Growing up when I would protest about doing something difficult, I would often say, "Ugh this is hard," or "This is too hard." My dad would always respond with, "Stephanie, you can do hard things." What a blessing of truth from the Lord straight out of my dad's mouth. I don't think God meant for things to be hard for us, but I think He has equipped us to do difficult things. And I think He teaches me the most through struggles.

C.S. Lewis once said, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." And I really believe that's true. Moments where I have felt Christ the most have been moments of grief, sorrow or serious wrestling. And when you think about it, God spoke the most through the most difficult thing ever: his son dying on a cross to save every single human being from sin. He must have known that would have to happen when he first created humans and yet he did it anyway. The redemption of his creation was worth sacrificing his son! I just can't wrap my brain around that, especially now that I have a son. It really is mind blowing.

Usually when I get through the hard thing and God has taught me something really valuable, I know it was worth it. And I think for the most part, God allows us to go through difficulty because the pain of it will be worth the purpose he wants to accomplish through it. I have found that to mostly be true in my life.

So when I'm facing pain, sorrow, grief, difficulty I try to look for Christ in the midst of it and I pray I don't miss what He's trying to say to me. Sometimes it's, "I love you." Sometimes it's, "I am with you." And sometimes it's, "Stephanie, with my help, you can do hard things."