I have been through a lot of hard things. There are days I feel overwhelmed and want to cry and feel discouraged at why have I had to go through so many hard things. Have I ruined my kids? Will we ever recover? Why did all this happen?
At the end of the day I truly do see so many blessings and realize just how much I have learned from doing the hard things. There are many areas of mothering, marriage, homeschooling, and life in general where we can’t avoid going through the hard things. These hard things grow and develop us and grow us in ways we would never otherwise.
Here are some short and simple things I have learned through a decade of a lot of hard things.
1) God will give grace more abundantly when we hit new times of hardships and struggles.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
2) We are commanded to have joy and it will transform us when we remember that instead of diving down the well of self pity.
Romans 12:2 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer
3) Hardships teach us to fully depend on God and know that he has a plan even when we can’t see the end result.
Romans 5:3-5. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
4) Blessings will happen when we stay faithful to God
Looking back I can now see where my life has more blessings than I could have imagined now. At the time of intense hardships and trials I couldn’t see the end. It’s amazing to now look back and see how many things God has brought to our family and I can trust that my new hard things will also end one day will more blessings.
Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
5) Daily seek God.
The days and times I struggle the most and don’t want to be in Bible is the days I need it the most. God wants us to pour our hearts out to Him, not rant to everyone else about our problems.
Proverbs 8:17 - I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Psalms 119:10 - With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments
I could probably go on for hours about our traumas and trials. Even now as I now have teens I am learning new hardships and new things that feel overwhelming at times. Each stage of mothering and parenting has brought new hard things. There are days I just want to skip the hard days and wonder why do I have to go through this. I also look back at the various loss and trauma my children and I have endured and often wanted to question the why behind our struggles.
At the end of the day I know that the hard times is what has grown me closer to God. It has changed me and my family fundamentally in so many ways. As much as I hate going through hard things I know that at the end of it I will be stronger and closer to God. These things are designed to teach us and grow us.
Be encouraged when you can’t see the end of the hardships and know that it does have an end. God is there through it all.
This is just a drop in the bucket but I needed the reminder to keep my focus where I need to just like I have in the past.
