Struggling?

How many times have you quietly wondered why another person, friend or foe, seemed to be sitting in the light of God’s favor while you yourself constantly struggle to stay obedient?  It’s not as if you wish others ill, in fact you are actually quite happy for those who don’t struggle, unlike yourself, who seems to live in a constant state of struggle. 

Being a follower of Jesus, I know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust.  God chooses to bless those whom he chooses.  Who am I to question His blessing, and who he chooses to bestow that blessing upon?  The hard thing about this blessing thing is that I really don’t envy those whom God is blessing, really.  In fact it is the most bizarre thing; I celebrate with each the blessing from the Lord I hear about.  When God is blessing others, it makes it obvious that God is still working in the lives of his children.  Why shouldn’t I celebrate? 

What still remains though is the question of struggle.  

I was speaking to a young friend the other day and she was struggling. She had the very same questions I have had.  She shared with me the very same things that I had thought but never had the courage to speak.  “Why do some of us struggle, while others seem to live a charmed life?”  I couldn’t answer her.  I had no idea.  And I felt bad because of the void she was experiencing. And it reminded me of the same void I occasionally have in my own life. 

I spent some time mulling over the question, spent some time asking that same question out loud to myself… to my husband… to God.  There was still silence, no answer, except grace.  And grace is enough.  Maybe there are some questions that we simply have to accept as fact, understanding that the answers are beyond ourselves. 

But then, something occurred to me.  I am sure it was the Holy Spirit speaking into my heart a truth I had not pondered before.  It occurred to me that all throughout the Scriptures, God uses some of the most marred, broken, and irregular people to accomplish his task and to show His glory.  Jesus told Paul "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  (1 Cor 12.9) This is a fact that we know. 

We also know that the miracles recorded in the ministry of Jesus are those of broken and hurting people, the leper, the bleeding woman, the demon possessed boy, the adulterous woman.  And we also know of countless, nameless, faceless others who were healed by his hand, but those are the ones for which we don’t have an intimate personal record of the life change they experienced. 

In the Old Testament, we have story after story of the imperfect vessels God chose to deliver His message, His blessings, His people… Joshua, Gideon, Elijah… and just as importantly there were nameless, faceless, faithful followers recorded. 

Here is the point.  God will use who He chooses to use.  It seems to me that he uses the most broken among us… not for our glory but for HIS.  There will be those who are faithful and true to the Lord and He will use them.  They will be counted among the faithful and their contribution to The Kingdom is valuable. 

BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE…. If you are struggling, and you are faithful to what The LORD has called you to, the rain will fall.   It may seem like it is pouring with no relief in sight.  But God is on the throne; and He will use all things for good (Romans 8.28).   He may have chosen you to share your story with someone who is struggling… with the same thing you struggle with.  Your struggles may be the very thing that God want to use to bring glory to Him and freedom to His children.  If we can allow our storms to wash over us and we can do it without struggling against them, God can and will use them in our lives for good.  CELEBRATE! Rejoice in the fact that the Creator of the Universe chooses you, wants you and has a plan not only to redeem you but to redeem others with your story. 

The rain falls on the just and unjust.  But if others seem to be skating through life, let them be.  After the resurrection, Peter asked Jesus, “"Lord, what about him?" Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You must follow me." (John 21.21-.22)  Our responsibility is to follow Jesus, on our own path, not the path of others.  His grace is sufficient for every occasion.  And if He is choosing to use you, maybe, just maybe He knows that your story is important enough, broken enough, and full of struggles enough to be able to show others hope through you in Him. 

Struggling, but staying close to the dust of The Rabbi, 

~Christy