“I am sore,” my daughter Kyla said to me this morning while making breakfast.
She went to her first summer dance session yesterday where her instructor made the whole class do intense stretching and squatting exercises. This is to strengthen the dancers’ legs and core muscles so they can successfully complete their dance routines.
“Oh yeah, that hurts,” I said, empathizing with our 18-year-old as she modeled some of the exercise moves for me.
I know them well.
In fact, I have incorporated a few of those very movements into my own workouts. I can attest to the fact that they hurt severely, particularly when I haven’t done any strength training in a while. They make my muscles burn, ache and scream for mercy. And the soreness I experience the next day—and the day after that—is something awful!
While Kyla loves to dance, she is not a fan of excruciating stretching and core work, but it is a part of the process nonetheless. I’m glad she’s embracing all of it, both the pleasure and pain, with a good attitude.
This morning’s conversation with our daughter made me consider this: doing what we don’t like gives us the necessary strength to do what we love. God knows this. That’s why He allows us to be tried and pushed to the brink. He doesn’t want us to simply get excited over the prospect of pursuing and fulfilling our destiny on earth, without a firm foundation built on suffering. It is through the hard times that God teaches us what it takes to be truly effective and strong enough to make it to the good times, and thrive in our new season.
You see, destiny moments and harvest seasons don’t come gift-wrapped with a pretty red bow on them. What we desire to see come to pass in our lives first manifests in the form of wilderness, struggle, valley experiences, hardship, pain, difficult circumstances, sweat, intimidating assignments and tears.
Saying you want to fulfill your destiny and possess all God has for you means you’re ready and willing to deal with situations that stretch you. You’re telling God—with His help, of course—you’re completely open to powering through hard days that challenge you.
Though that may not sound quite so exhilarating, if you don’t quit when it gets hardest, you’ll reap a harvest of souls for the Kingdom. You’ll experience the fullness of what God has for you. He’ll take you places you never thought you would go. He’ll position you to glorify His name. The sweet aroma of His presence will dwell and linger in your household. God will elevate you and make it so others will see Christ shining through you.
Don’t you want that?
I do.
So keep your eye on the end goal; that’s what sustains you through the rough times. Trust me, I know. And here’s some more good news about trials and tests: they have an end date and when they are over, they will have changed you for the better. You'll look back and realize that God was setting you up for greater all along.
There's a purpose in what you're dealing with today.
After this trial, you will experience a greater glory & a move of God in your life. Hang in there. Greater is coming!
Earlier, God led me to read 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and share a portion of it with you to help support you while you may be going through hard times. You might feel like you’re the only one suffering and God has forsaken you, but He hasn’t. He’s simply making you stronger through trials.
In verses 24-27 (NLT), the Apostle Paul, one of the greatest Christian evangelists who ever lived, talks about some of the things he suffered for the sake of his divine assignment. Let’s quickly read it. He says:
24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.
27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
The list goes on and on. You see how he suffered and all he went through? That makes most of our problems seem small, right? Yet, Paul didn’t give up on his faith. Don’t you give up either!
In 2 Corinthians 12, he also talks about a “thorn” in his flesh, some kind of affliction he asked God to remove. But the Lord told Paul, in verse 9, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
And just as God’s grace was with Paul, so shall it be with you throughout the duration of your journey here on earth. You are neither forsaken nor forgotten; everything you’re going through is working for your good and your betterment.
Let me reiterate: God is changing you for the better. So wipe your tears away. Dust yourself off. Begin to praise God for this rough season, knowing that He is making you stronger and sharper. He’s giving you more clarity, focus and courage. God is showing you what you are made of, what you are capable of and what you have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to make it through. God’s supernatural strength is sustaining you at this very moment.
Though you feel weak, His grace is sufficient. The Lord is carrying you through.
To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring the latter half of 2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT into your cup of inspiration, which says, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, realize that in your weakest moment, the power of God is working through you and resting upon you. In fact, He has already equipped you to go through this test and come out even better than you were before.
Why worry about the storm and rain? Why be intimidated by the fiery trials? Why shrink from obstacles and adversity when you know it’s all for your making? Though it feels like you won’t make it at times, rebuke defeated thoughts. Talk to yourself. Rejoice. Know that God has already set you up to come out better. He's setting you up right now for greater: greater blessings, greater strength, greater influence; a greater testimony; greater anointing; and a greater move of the Holy Ghost!
His grace is with you. His anointing is upon you. No weapon formed against you will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). You can’t lose.
So take in this word today. Stop striving to get to that “perfect” place of no struggles and smooth sailing. That’s not where your power lies. You access your real power, which, again, is the power of God working through you, in the storm, in the rain, and through pain.
It won’t always be like this. There is greater in store. God has amazing plans to bring you up out of this valley and set you in a place of favor and abundant blessings. But, in the meantime, you are in the developmental phase. Let God do His work. And when He is finished, you will see His hand move in your life as never before.
Because God, by His grace, is setting you up for greater and better, you can walk through this with your head held high, confident in God’s plan for your life. You’re going to make it. You will come out of this and you won’t even look like what you’ve been through.
I’m a witness!
As Philippians 1:6 NASB says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Now let’s pray.
God, thank You for my trials. Though I feel weak while going through them, I know You are making me stronger in You. I am grateful, even while suffering through this test, to know that You are with me, strengthening me, sharpening me and giving me the grace to go through. I praise You for what’s to come and for the assurance that, by enduring this test, I will be ready to receive all You have for me in due season. I praise You for setting me up for greater glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
If you need prayer, don't hesitate to request it. I would be honored to stand in faith with You. I know that prayer works. CLICK HERE to learn how to submit your prayer request.
