The Value of Difficult

Are you in a peaceful, easy season or are you finding it difficult to put one foot in front of the other? Or maybe you're somewhere in between. Does life seem to be too busy or too painful? 

Too busy, too painful or just a blur?

There are days when I feel stretched, overwhelmed and challenged by the tasks, demands, and expectations of myself and others. I grieve for the friend who has cancer, for the family tensions or heartaches experienced, for the horror of the evil I see in the world or closer to home. At times, the trauma and wounds of my own past resurface and threaten to rob me of peace. Can you relate to this?

In my daily spiritual reading, I find comfort in remembering that my loving creator is always with me and reminders of the incredible value of suffering, struggle and difficulty. This truth is so contrary to what our culture preaches on a daily basis.

In I Believe in Love, Père Jean du Coeur de Jésus D'Elbée writes:

Moreover, suffering helps us to detach ourselves from earth, to look higher, to remember that earth is a place of passage. That is why we so often find that the poor and the suffering are much nearer to our Lord than others. Sorrow lifts us up; sorrow makes us grow; sorrow liberates.

All You permit for me will be grace from You, and You will be there with me. I do not fear the Cross, because I do not fear You, the King of love.

In Jesus Calling, Sarah Young states:

"Learn to appreciate difficult days.  Be stimulated by the challenges you encounter along your way." 

And Fr. Jacques Philippe, in Searching For and Maintaining Peace, shares:

(God) never leaves us deprived of what is essential: His presence, His peace and all that is necessary for the complete fulfillment of our lives, according to His plans for us. If He permits suffering, then it is our strength to believe, as Thérèse of Lisieux says, that “God does not permit unnecessary suffering.”

In the domain of our personal lives, as in that of the history of the world, we must be convinced, if we want to go to the limits of our Christian faith, that God is sufficiently good and powerful to use whatever evil there may be, as well as any suffering however absurd and unnecessary it may appear to be, in our favor.

How many times do I grumble and complain because I am experiencing something that takes me outside of my comfort zone or causes me pain? I am certainly not expressing gratitude for car troubles, relationship issues or disappointments, financial strains or an appliance breakdown. I don't usually see days with too many tasks for the time, or days of disappointment or uncertainty, as "stimulating".

 What God has been gently teaching me is that these challenges are reminders that I can't rely on myself. Life is not within my control. I can pretend it is and even convince myself that I have "everything under control" but the reality is that in a blink of an eye my world could be turned upside down (or at least sideways). 

This may seem like a depressing thought, but for those who believe in a personal, loving God, this is an opportunity to put our trust in His love and care. If God is really who we say He is, then He cares more for us than we care for ourselves. God only gives love. That is His very nature. 

"All things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 

Whether my emotions on any given day agree or not, this is an exciting adventure. Each day I have the opportunity to follow where God leads, to embrace all that happens with a joyful heart and to accept the challenges that can create compassion, courage, and character within me. Struggle builds emotional muscle and inner conviction.

Suffering builds character, inner strength and brings spiritual openness.

Zig Ziglar once stated: “Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it.”

​Anxiety has now become a reminder for me that I have moved back into the driver’s seat and am trying to direct my own life, keeping things safe and comfortable. I am trying to avoid any bumpy roads. Instead, God nudges me to slide back over to the passenger seat and let Him do the driving.  He will tell me what I need to know and direct me if I am listening. When I remember to embrace this, I enjoy the journey so much more.

 You may have heard the quote, ‘Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” (Author unknown) At any given moment, I can choose to thank God for what He is allowing in my life, for my good, even if I don't understand. I can allow Him to embrace me, to love me, to help carry my load. I can choose joy, even when my emotions are not in agreement.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior..."

Mary's hymn of praise is a reminder that the external circumstances do not need to rob me of my interior peace and joy.

The road may be bumpy, but the lessons learned in hardship, and the character built in times of perseverance, are priceless treasures. What lesson have you learned from your own hardships? How has God used it for your good, even if it was and maybe still is, painful?

*Arminjon, Charles . I Believe in Love: A Personal Retreat Based on the Teaching of St. Therese of Lisieux (p. 198).

*Young, Sarah. Jesus Calling,

*Philippe, Rev. Jacques . Searching for and Maintaining Peace (p. 36).