Enduring When Hard Is Hard

John 16:33

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Hebrews 12:1-10

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do Not Grow Weary

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Sometimes I write because God impresses encouragement on my heart. And sometimes I do not write because the days are full and there's no time. And sometimes I cannot write because, because life is hard. The truth is that while hard is not bad, hard is still hard. In this world you will have tribulation.

The challenges I experience that make life hard include the sorrows, fears, and hurts of people that are precious to me. Honestly, sometimes these tribulations overwhelm me. Sometimes they feel like too much for me, but I know that they are never too much for God. These experiences are personal. My ultimate priority is to glorify God in all of our experiences, even those that are hard, hard, hard (and a bit unusual), while at the same time respecting those in my home who are running this race. So some days I write and others I do not, but always God is faithfully working good for me and disciplining me as His child and teaching me to endure.

My greatest encouragement in hard times is God's sovereignty over tribulations, Jesus understanding of hardship and suffering, and the promise of joy for eternity. Together these things help me put hard days into perspective and find joy in salvation in the midst of trials.