Struggle

I believe everyone struggles now and then. The depth of the struggle or the devastation of the struggle is much different for each person. I think nearly everyone struggles with the loss of a loved one. I think loss is a huge struggle. The loss of a friend, the loss of a job, the loss of time – this could be a long list. Struggle is not always involving others; it is sometimes very private and internal. I think a big part of struggle is hope. If I believe there’s relief coming, I can make through any struggle. In my own struggles, the Presence of the Lord has been “the game changer”. His Presence always brings hope.

The disciples were in the boat that Jesus insisted they take to the other side of the lake, while He went into the hills to pray alone. He saw their struggle and took action. Check this out…

⁴⁷ Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. ⁵⁰ They were all terrified when they saw him.

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”⁵¹ Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, (Mark 6:47-51 NLT)

The disciples were fighting the wind and the waves. They were trying to keep the boat moving in the right directions and the wind and the waves was taking them on a different course. I have felt like my circumstances were taking me in a different direction that I was trying to go. I am still learning to cry out to Jesus because I need Him and I need His Presence to calm the storm I’m in.

I was reflecting yesterday about a storm my family encountered over 10 years ago when my middle son was diagnosed with cancer. It was a storm that knocked me on my knees and quite frankly, my face. I was crying out to God in so much pain and desperation. I was scared. I was angry. I wanted to trade places with my son. It was a fight. I am thankful that the Lord walked with me through that storm. My relationship with God grew a ton through that struggle. I had some “frank conversations” with the Lord. I grew in my trust of Him. I still have a lot of questions regarding struggle, but my faith has expanded to trust Him more even when I’m fighting something larger than life.

Sometimes a scripture, poem or song really gives strength to my weak faith. I remember the first song I hung on to when were going through the storm was “Let Me Feel You Shine” by David Crowder. I listened to this over and over. The chorus became my prayer…..

If I could feel You shine Your perpetual light
Then maybe I could crawl out of this tonight
If I could feel You shine, O let me feel You shine
So beautiful and warm, so beautiful and bright
Like Your Son comin’ out of the raining sky
O let me feel You shine, O let me feel You shine

Struggles are often big, but God is ALWAYS bigger! I’m trusting Him here in the land of the dying – earth; because I have my eye on the land of the living – eternity.

Pressing On!

Dwayne