How Do You Keep Persevering When The World Throws More At You Than You Can Handle?

Throughout the majority of this year, I experienced a growth in a ministry I founded to help trafficking victims. I met new people and formed some really amazing bonds. It was hard work, but everything seemed to be just blooming in a lovely way. And then my daughter became ill. I lost a very dear friend. I experienced the pain of family members being torn in different directions. Seasons changed and life perked up, my daughter seemed to be doing much better. New friends were made, new missions were formed, and we enjoyed a small amount of success in areas where we had completely invested in ministry-wise. It was a give and take of ups and downs.

And then two months ago arrived. In the past two months, we lost a young family member unexpectedly. Our ministry took a hit with trials and tribulations. We dealt with suicide attempts and recently with someone open firing a shotgun on the complex where we live. I remember when my children went to school after the night of the gunman, I went to my bed and laid down and sobbed in fear. Knowing he was still out there and having no idea who he was or why he did what he did left me with no comfort and feeling completely helpless and frustrated.

The following week, we went in for a check-up for my daughter and received a heartbreaking diagnosis. I’m still swallowing that one and I don’t think a day has passed in the past week where I have not cried while doing dishes.

The ups and downs seemed to have turned into just downs. How do you persevere through that? How do you remain steadfast and strong when the trials grow harder every week and seem to be unrelenting?

Someone knows the next chapter in my life. Someone can see around the corner. Someone knows the end of the story. Someone knows of a comeback; and someone can see that I am not walking alone in this.

What do I mean by that? Remember how the people mourned when Jesus was crucified? What if you could lean into the story and tell them, “Just wait, He’s coming back.”? What about when David was wandering and fled afraid for his life? Remember all the times he cried out to God in distress? What if you could lean in and tell him, “He’s going to do a mighty thing – just hang on. This is just the middle of your story.”

When the ones fleeing from their captors faced a red sea and looked upon it with terror and wanted to give up, I want to peek into their story and say, “You don’t even know what is going to happen next! Just wait and watch!”

What I’ve learned from persevering through trials. . .

1. You don’t have to look elegant while hanging on for dear life.
2. Sometimes grabbing the helmet of salvation might look like you’re diving under it for cover instead of confidently placing it on your head.
3. If you’re in the middle of gut-wrenching trials and fear overtakes you, you’ve just joined massive amounts of people in the Bible who went on to experience great victories.
4. Jesus is close to the broken-hearted and he is with you when you weep. Knowing this has made washing dishes for me like washing dishes with Jesus.
5. God grieves when you grieve because He loves you.
6. If something scares you and you want to shy away from it, the Lord most likely has a blessing in that thing for you and Satan wants to keep you from it.
7. You’ll learn what it feels like to be very lowly and you’ll have a greater compassion for people who are struggling because you can acutely relate.
8. No matter what is going on in your life, if you draw near to the Lord, he will draw near to you. He may not change your circumstances, but that might be because he is doing a work in you in the midst of your circumstances that will sanctify you and allow you to experience a personal encounter with him.

At the end of it all, I have to ask myself a question:  Given the choice, would I change my circumstances or would I let God use these circumstances to change my heart? Every time, every single time, I will choose God using the circumstances to change my heart. As the earlier part of this year has shown me, circumstances change off and on, but a change in heart driven by the Lord is everlasting.

In the midst of the worst trials, and in the midst of trials that are simply headaches, you can find God at work in your life, for your good. He is the one leaning in and saying, “This is just chapter 5…wait til you get to chapter 6. Wait til the sea parts….wait for the miracle, but don’t miss the blessing in the dust.”