Overcoming Adversity

Posted on March 2, 2023

Today I want to talk about how we can overcome life’s struggles, big or small. In the past 3 years, I lost a niece, my mother, my baby granddaughter and a horse. My husband was given a distressing diagnosis, and our finances fell apart. There has been a lot of pain to endure, and some days I have felt defeated. Like a boxer in the ring, I take one punch after another. Most days I get back up with renewed strength to take on whatever life throws at me, but occasionally I feel like I’m down for the count. Just before I fall into the deep gorge of despair, I grab onto the hand of hope which pulls me back into the ring for another round. Strength like that only comes from God. It is already in us, so we just have to access it. He says we will have trials, and only with the Lord’s help can we handle them.

Yesterday I had an incredible experience with God! I went down in the evening to exercise, and it was leg day! Some of you may cringe at the thought of leg day, but it’s my favorite workout day! I started my workout, and my right knee was bothering me. I had reinjured this knee awhile ago, and it's been taking its sweet time to heal. I wasn’t quite half-way through my workout when I began my weighted reverse lunges. This particular exercise puts a lot of stress on my knee, and I was feeling notable discomfort. I completed my first set and was thinking I should stop so I don’t make it worse, but I really wanted to finish this, so I said to myself “I feel God’s healing power going through my knee right now!” I started my second set, and I had no pain or discomfort at all. In that moment, I experienced healing. The remainder of my workout was pain free, and it has carried into today as well. I could have held onto the thought that I had better stop so it doesn’t get worse, but all I had to do was believe that I was healed, and I was. This may seem like a small thing, but it exemplifies what God can do and what is to come. One day there will be complete healing for all believers.

In the natural world that appeals to our senses, many think it’s crazy that people are healed in the blink of an eye. In the supernatural realm, however, miracles are a part of life. God doesn’t want us to live in pain, and by declaring my healing according to His will, I was healed. What happens, though, if after years of praying and believing for healing, the thorn in your flesh remains? Such is the case with my husband, Kevin, who was given a cancer diagnosis over 3 years ago. He's been following what he believes to be God’s directives for his health, yet the physical world continues to give him cause to believe he is still sick. It’s easy to believe what a doctor or test result says if our trust lies in that source. To me it is the enemy wanting us to let go of our hope and faith. If your trust is in God, however, those terrestrial suggestions mean nothing. As long as there's breath in his lungs, I believe that Kevin has already gotten his victory, and now he is just walking it out. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness because that’s where He demonstrates His greatness. I hold steadfast in that belief which sustains me! Our thoughts and beliefs are everything!

We get to choose what we do with our hardships that seem so relentless. Some people will get angry, give up, take it out on others or even isolate themselves, while others choose to use their experiences to help others through their pain. We need to acknowledge and allow ourselves to feel the anguish so we can move through it. With that we develop wisdom, resilience and compassion that we can use to encourage others and give glory to God. That is what I'm effecting through my coaching, my blog and my daily interactions with people. We could just throw our hands up, blame anything and everything for all of our tribulations and believe that trouble is all we’re going to get in life. That is precisely the outcome that we would end up with. Alternatively, we can remember that God has overcome the world which gives us hope that rises amidst the disappointments in life. What you’re going through, unending as it seems, is only temporary, and joy comes in the morning!

We can move through our existence trying to figure out why bad things happen, but that just leads to confusion. God knows what we’re going through, and He will comfort us if we put our hope in Him. We know only what God intends for us to know. There would be no need for us to trust Him if we knew everything. He lets us understand what we need to in His perfect timing. These truths help me rise again to fight the next battle.

Hopefully it’s clear that we can’t get through suffering on our own. We are all going to be slapped around by life at various times. Where do you place your energy as you’re going through trials? What is the Lord teaching you? How can you use your adversity for God’s glory? Share your thoughts!

Choose the Joy that comes in the morning!

“For his anger only lasts a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Psalm 30:5