God is in the business of growing us up – forming us by day and by decade into the image of Christ. And this requires a process of becoming. We must go through many difficulties to learn how to be the men God can entrust with more of his kingdom.
It’s easy to bemoan the struggles we go through. And often our prayers are just for deliverance. We don’t want to suffer anymore.
Of course, there’s a place for deep laments. At the same time, with maturity we start to see how God is refining our strength through the things we suffer. Even Jesus himself learned obedience this way.
Our prayers are no longer just for relief, but now for orientation – for the eyes to see what God is up to through our story. This gives us the clarity needed to live with courage throughout our life and relationships. Throughout every situation, the ups and the downs, we’ve learned to rely on the power of Christ in us.
Difficulties remain. But we’re learning obedience and allowing ourselves to be shaped for God’s glory by submitting to his initiation for us.
Without a proper orientation we can become desperate and controlling – trying to arrange life on our terms. Or perhaps we quit quietly – simply going through the motions of life but no longer wholeheartedly. We might also submit to needless pain and suffering and call it love; maturity allows us to make meaningful sacrifices and not merely burn ourselves out trying to appease others.
In the end, God is forming you into the man who can confidently offer his strength to bring life and goodness to others. And your difficulties are your training ground. What are you learning?
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