Tough-Times Growth – Part 1

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

The Bible is surprisingly full of people having really tough times. It seems that after thousands of years of getting to know God, mankind still hasn’t been able to get its collective-head around our good, loving God allowing us to face ‘times of trial’. It’s a tough question in theory, but it’s much harder again when you’re living the tough times in reality.

Bad things happening in life is a sad reality of living in a fallen world. Following Jesus is not a ticket for a life free from pain. Jesus wasn’t kidding when He said, ‘Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows’ (John 16:33). But He doesn’t stop there. He goes on to say, ‘But take heart, because I have overcome the world.’ This is the good news in a nutshell. God so loved that world that He gave us Jesus. Jesus has overcome our trials and sorrows. He did it all. So we turn to Him when we fail. He forgives. He picks us up. And we can respond again, knowing we have within us His grace to forgive and His grace to grow.

If you break a bone in your leg, the bone will actually heal stronger than it ever was originally; the break will heal, then another layer of bone will grow over the area, reinforcing it. That’s how God works – not just in your body but in your life. For our hearts, being broken could be the start of finding your strength in God. Being broken is finding our forgiveness, our acceptance, and our strength—in Jesus.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me remember that brokenness is a process of being stronger and better – if I allow You to do that in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen