by Karen Blanchard
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI – As we journey down the road of life, we face mountaintop highs as well as valley lows. The last few months have been a challenge for me. Over the years as my relationship with Jesus has grown deeper, he has taught me how to handle the struggles of life; however, with as much as I have learned, the last four months have shown me that I still have a lot to learn. God is so good and faithful to guide us through every step of our journey.
The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
I have learned over the years to try to look past the circumstance I am going through and look to God. The enemy is the one who is behind all the chaos and confusion that we experience in this world. Once we begin to recognize that, it then helps us to shift our perspective off of the person or circumstance and ask God to help us fight the battle.
Personally, I have found in my life that the enemy tries to attack me before I do anything big for God. The past few months, I felt the warfare of the enemy trying to attack. With every attack that would come, my gaze began to fall a little more and a little more off God and onto the struggle.
Before I knew it, the negative thoughts began to trump God’s voice, and I couldn’t figure out how I got to this place. I have learned that when I am in the struggle, I need to seek God more than ever. I would journal out my feelings and frustrations and I would read my Bible. Every time I chose to seek God, he would meet me there.
Finally, God opened my eyes that I was grumbling and complaining about a situation I was in. Through grumbling and complaining about this situation, I opened myself up to the enemy which began to affect my thoughts and attitude. The Holy Spirit convicted me of this sin in my life. I am so grateful that when God reveals a sin in our life, he does it in a loving and gentle way. The enemy is the one who brings shame and condemnation, not God.
I prayed and confessed my sin and decided from that point on with God’s help, I would keep my mouth closed and trust him through the circumstance. By the end of that week, God sent the answer to the prayers I had been praying. His answer was so much better than mine could have ever been.
I was reminded during this difficult time, that God was teaching me things in the struggle that I wouldn’t have learned otherwise. It is through the struggle that God strengthens us for the next thing he has prepared for us. It is in the darkness we learn to lean on God and allow him to light the path for us. Once God spoke to my heart that I had been grumbling and complaining, the fog started to lift, and everything began to become clear again.
In James 1:2-4 Paul writes, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
We are never promised a struggle free life! When you feel like you are sinking and you don’t know what else to do, call out to God! He is there waiting to rescue you. This takes surrender! We must lay ourselves down and be willing to listen to the hard things God is trying to reveal to us.
One verse that has been very dear to my heart during this time of struggle has been Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
You are stronger than the struggle! You know why? Because Jesus has already fought the battle and holds your victory. Don’t give up
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen is married to Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church, and moved from Florida to Michigan in the summer of 2009 to plant Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township. She enjoys mentoring and discipling women and also leads women’s life groups through her church. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. She is on staff at Lakepointe Church and loves being part of what God is doing in the Metro Detroit area!