Handling Life's Challenges!

All of us experience major and minor life challenges. How we handle these challenges on a daily basis determines our physical and mental well-being. Sometimes these challenges consume us with guilt, panic attacks, or chronic fatigue. Our struggles pressure us from every side, threatening to crush us.

"Our ability to handle life's challenges is a measure of our strength of character." - Les Brown

Suffering creates a “knee jerk” response in most of us. Escape, leave, stay busy, keep away. We want to avoid the pain and discomfort suffering causes. Many escape the hurt by substituting or filling their time or placing their focus on other things unrelated to the present distress.

Even when you suffer as a believer, do not fret; "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." - 1 Peter 4:12 ESV.

Surprisingly, all life challenges have a direct relationship in defining our purpose in life. If only we could find assurance that there was a plan or reason for the difficulties we face. We search for meaning in tragedy, questioning our reason for hope or a future. “Why me God? How can I ever forgive her/him? I hate my life!

“In the world you will have tribulation.” These are Jesus’ own words written in John 16:33. If you have lived very long you will agree this is true. Common to all our journeys is personal suffering. We experience troubles in our relationships, our health, our safety, and our financial security. Secondhand suffering affects as we watch others we love or the world that God loves suffer. Becoming a Christian does not mean we will not suffer; in fact, Jesus’ own words remind us that we will have troubles. The question before us is not “Will we suffer?” but “How will we handle our suffering?”

Harold Kushner in his foreword to Viktor Frankl’s masterpiece, Man’s Search for Meaning, states, “Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation. You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always control what you will feel and do about what happens to you.”

Growing up in Christ means not seeking to escape our trials, but trusting God will be with us and ultimately use them for our good.

"And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose." - Romans 8:28 AMP

“Some believe, ‘well he went to the Cross for me, he suffered for me, so I’ll never have to suffer’. That’s immature, not biblical and not true. In fact, it’s through the crosses in our lives that we grow. That’s where we find our brokenness, our humility, our self-awareness, our ownership.”

When we develop a personal relationship with the One who created us, we discover how God wants us to respond in any given situation. If you are facing difficult decision, trust Him to provide the comfort, strength, and wisdom you need in order to continue toward your goal. By placing our faith in God, we take our hands off our problems and trust him to help us through.