How to Endure the Worst of Trials

　　By Kelly Balarie

　　Bible Reading:

　　“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” – 1 Timothy 6:12 NIV

　　Have you ever noticed that, as a culture, we glorify mountaintop moments but hardly give attention to what it took to get there?

　　Just think, everyone has seen, the common online picture of the person who scaled the mountain. In the picture, the person’s hands are usually raised high in a conquering position. There’s maybe a flag, planted next to them. You can see the high heights and the glorious sun setting all around them, as they stand amongst the clouds. Of course, their face has the most gargantuan smile. They did it, after all! They did it!

　　But consider this: Hardly do we see the other picture, the one of them climbing up the mountain. Hardly do we see the miles they trekked to get there. The mud all over their new white sneakers. The sweat on their brow. The agony of breath when they figured they couldn’t take another step. The thirst because their water is all gone. The struggle to keep on going, all alone.

　　As a culture, we love to cheer a good victory story, but we hardly pay attention to one losing energy. Why? Because it’s messy. Roads can be long and arduous.

　　But the truth is – contained within every victory is a fight. Encapsulated in every win is, often, a war.

　　This is why we are told to: “Fight the good fight of the faith…” (1 Tim. 6:12)

　　Think of almost every single biblical person. To David, there was a Goliath. To Peter, the defeat of his personal denial. To the woman at the well, her past. To Jesus, the road to Calvary.

　　Yet, the greatest purposes of God and missions of the Lord are often accomplished via roads of enduring, paths of persevering, and tear-soiled handkerchiefs of suffering.

　　I wonder, though, do we value these things? Do we notice the person mired in the fight of their life – or do we just scroll Facebook celebrating a person’s mountaintop moment? Do we enter into another person’s battle with the heart of Jesus, and prayer, or do we carry on pursuing our own cause?

　　While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He entered our mess.

　　Friends, my life feels messy right now. Everything is not perfect. There are canyon-like gaps of unanswered prayers. There are breakthroughs I have been calling out for over years – that remain the same. There are hopes that have not been met.

　　So what? What am I going to do? Give up?

　　God didn’t give up on me; why should I give up on my hope in Him?

　　“No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame…” (Ps. 25:3)

　　Here, I have two choices, really.

　　Choice A: I wildly and radically believe Him as faithful (even though it feels like all this waiting and trusting will eventually put me to shame)

　　Or…

　　Choice B: I take things into my own hands by giving up, controlling circumstances, falling into despair, or endlessly worrying.

　　Choice A is to surrender. Choice B is to get bitter. Choice A yields to the Holy Spirit. Choice B denies and defies the Holy Spirit, to allow the flesh to thrive.

　　Which way will we go? In a way, God asks us, again, today, “Will you trust me? Will you give your life over to me, afresh?”

　　I don’t know about you, but my answer to Him is, “Yes, God. I will that your will be done. I am Yours, and You are mine, wholly and entirely.”

　　Intersecting Faith Life:

　　Where have you resigned to the idea that God will not show up? Or the belief that if you trust Him – in the long run – you will be put to shame? Why not repent for that mistrust so that you can fully give yourself over to all-out abandoned trust in Jesus?

　　Photo Credit: © Unsplash/sam mgrdichian

　　Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly’s blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women’s faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly’s work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN’s 700 Club, Relevant and Today’s Christian Woman.

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　　Related Resource: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Your EmotionsAre you tired of up-and-down feelings stealing your peace, sabotaging your relationships, and filling your mind with self-defeating thoughts? What if you had a proven emotional management tool to biblically respond to your feelings with compassion and clarity? Join us for today’s episode to discover three simple steps to manage emotions, reduce stress, improve decision-making, and grow closer to God. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!