Hebrews 5:12

Each of us, if we have lived any time at all on this earth, have faced struggles and difficulties. We sometimes face challenges to our life and to our faith. It's part of living on this earth isn't it?

I kind of liked what one fellow said who had faced many challenges in life. He said, "They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. At this point I should be able to lift a car." In reality, we understand (hopefully) that it's not a physical strength that is gained, but a spiritual strength, a stronger faith, the ability to trust God more to carry us through the challenge

Every day I talk with people who have a new challenge in their life. Sometimes it is a health issue, sometimes a relationship issue; sometimes it's a faith issue. We would like to think that whatever the problem, whatever the challenge it would make us stronger wouldn't we. However, we know that isn't really how it works don't we?

Yes, that is the ideal, but we know that it doesn't always work that way does it? We all have seen people who have left God, left his church, left following the guidance found in God's word. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." (Hebrews 5:12, KJV)

For some folks, challenges move them away from trusting in God, while others are moved to trust more in him than they ever have before. One of the most powerful and encouraging passages regarding our trials in Christ comes from the apostle Paul who knew all about challenges. Notice what he has to say about it: "Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one, for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one, for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow, not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below, indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:33-39)

The choice is really yours to make. Will life's challenges weaken your faith or make you stronger?

Russ Lawson