One of the great mistakes that we can make as Christians is that we can fall into the mistake of thinking that faith will keep us from all struggles.  The life of faith is supposed to be easy and victorious.

If we just have enough faith, we won’t have problems, or if we do have problems they will go away quickly and easily.  As long as we have enough faith.  That sounds all well and good.  But it doesn’t really match up with what we see in Scripture.  Listen to what we are told today in Psalm 71:20-22:

20You have showed me great troubles and adversities,
but you will restore my life
and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
21You strengthen me more and more;
you enfold and comfort me,
22Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your
faithfulness, O my God;

The Psalmist has said, that He has seen great troubles.  But God will bring him through it.  God will strengthen and uphold.  God will comfort and care.

God will be there, in the midst of the struggle.  God will not leave.  The struggles to not mean that we’ve done anything wrong.  It may mean we’ve done something right.

With faith will come struggle.  With growth will come struggle.  With so much of what is good in life, will come struggle.

Don’t see the struggle as bad.  I’m not saying it’s fun or easy, either.  I’m not trying to wish it away or pretend like it’s not there.  But I am saying that the struggle shows us God’s faithfulness.  It shows us God’s grace.  And it shows us that, through God’s grace, we ae stronger than we think possible.

If you are in the struggle now, hold on.  God is at work.  He will bring you through it.  Cling close to Jesus.  He won’t let you go.

If you are in the struggle now, it doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong.  You may be doing something right.

Hold on in the struggle.  God is still there.

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