Life’s Challenges Require Extra Work and Faith
It seems that some people go through life with little to hold them back from success, while we find nothing but obstacles.
There are lots of stories of people who have had to overcome an extra dose of adversity to become successful. Helen Keller was blind and deaf, yet she went on to become one of the most recognized authors and humanitarians in history. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four years old. Comedian Jim Carrey was homeless for a time at age 15. Richard Branson, the fourth-richest person in the U.K., has dyslexia. The first business that Bill Gates developed was a huge failure.
What is it that drives us through adversity and on to a fulfilling life?
First, we have to stand up straight and take responsibility for our lives. It’s easy to get caught up in the self-talk of “Yeah, but…” that keeps us rationalizing, making excuses, and not doing. Eliminate those words from your vocabulary. We deserve better. We are God’s children. So start by trying to discover what His plan is for you.
Let’s look at the brother of Jared as an example. He had faith in God. He was obedient. He was willing to trust the Lord.
Obedience
What a leap of faith it must have been for the brother of Jared to build ships of a strange design, load his family into them, and push off into the unforgiving ocean.
Take It to the Lord
Not all plans go perfectly. The brother of Jared needed light in the vessels he built. So he asked God for help. God, in turn, told him to go figure it out. We need to work as hard as we can on our problems so that we learn the process, and grow.
Find a Way
God could have solved the problem. He could have said, “Just do this.” But it was more important for the brother of Jared to develop his problem-solving skills.
We’re here in this life to learn and grow. It would have been easier to stay in the Garden of Eden in a state of innocence. But Adam and Eve wanted to become like God, and this requires a lot of trial and error, even suffering. Although life’s challenges are difficult, they have a purpose. When we meet these challenges with faith and determination, we will be able to do more than “get through” them: we’ll be able to invite the Lord to bless us, strengthen us, and help us become better than we were. With the strength that comes from our faith, we will overcome our challenges and grow to become more like Him.