It’s Always Worth the Struggle…

It’s Always Worth the Struggle…

One of the most difficult things for the youngest kids at the children’s home to understand is when momentary pain is necessary.  Whenever doctors come to give the kids shots the little kids will scatter as if monsters had invaded.  In their young minds they can’t comprehend that the shots they will receive will protect them from far worse diseases and actually strengthen their bodies.  These kids are too young and immature to be able to value the future enough to choose to endure the momentary pain.  It’s only through the comfort and authority of the staff that they are able to go through with it. 

If we were confronted with either enduring momentary sharp pain (some shots) or enduring some nasty diseases for a prolonged amount of time, we would choose the momentary sharp pain.  But when the diseases aren’t in front of us, like the young, immature children it can be easy for us to “delay” the sharp pain and eventually try to avoid it altogether. 

Now make the same comparison between our lifetime and eternity: our lifetime is actually MUCH SHORTER in comparison to eternity than enduring a shot compared to a lifetime with a disease.  So if we are really wise and mature, then wouldn’t we choose to “eat our vegetables” and “take our shots” so that we can have an eternity of health and joy? 

Christian life isn’t meant to be continually painful or discouraging or miserable.  Not at all!  BUT, there are definitely struggles we are meant to endure to make us stronger and to bless us with treasures in heaven.  When God led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt towards the Promised Land they rebelled in the desert against him and wanted to return.  They complained that the food in Egypt was better than what they were getting in the desert, DESPITE being promised that they were being led to a land of milk and honey.  Even though their past life was a life of slavery and difficulty, they longed for the “comfort” of having their own meals each day… rather than having to learn patience and learn how to rely on God for their provision.  They wanted to give up on their momentary struggles despite knowing the struggles would lead to enormous blessings.

In so many areas of our lives God is wanting to bring us out of the world’s ways and into His “Promised Land” for us, but for each area that we need deliverance we need to understand there is a wilderness attached to it.  Some of the wilderness periods are short and not that painful (a simple shot) while others are longer and really go deep (surgery)… but in the end we are always SO MUCH better than we were before.  We just need to know that it is always worth the struggle.  

2Corinthians 4:17-18 – For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

God bless!