I have this hang-up that I hope by sharing with you, we can grow and gain some benefit.
It’s ice cream. Y’all. I love ice cream. And there is something round-about seven to eight o’clock at night that pings in my brain like a text message alert saying I should get some ice cream. If there are any fellow ice cream lovers reading along, allow me to suggest putting your scoop, or two, in a frosty mug. It doesn’t melt nearly as fast, and the sweet satisfaction of indulgence is stretched just a bit longer.
There’s my comfort food. Ice cream. Sitting on the coach under a cozy blanket with my frosty mug of vanilla ice cream, topped with pecans, hot fudge and drizzles of caramel. As crummy as life gets, there’s always some goodness gained from some sweet treats.
But let’s level here—the satisfaction gained can melt just as quickly as the ice cream itself. Just the same as stylish new clothing fades out of fashion, a new vehicle wears down with miles, and gratitude for that luxurious vacation diminishes through time.
Much of the satisfaction we pursue is of no lasting benefit.
Goodness. That’s hard to think on.
As if that’s not a hard-enough pill to swallow. Let’s take it a step further and acknowledge the very thing that is always of lasting benefit. It’s something we aim to avoid for ourselves, and if we’re honest, we often do everything in our ability to avoid it for our children.
Difficulty.
Yes, difficulty.
No one ever celebrates a difficult season. How many cards do we send saying, “Congratulations on your difficult season!”? Uhhh, we don’t. We don’t send those cards because we know difficult seasons can be wrought with pain and suffering and heartache.
But there is something beautiful that happens as we navigate through difficulties. My husband and I were discussing it this past week and he made this statement:
Depth is developed in difficulty. - Brandon Meadows
If there was a highlight function on this blog, I would have put that statement in bright yellow, because the fact is, many of us rather be in the places that are comfortable than places that are difficult. However, a life aimed for whatever may make us happy, for whatever is easiest, and whatever satisfies our senses are the ingredients of shallow living.
Please hear my heart. I’m not saying we should create difficulties. Making poor choices, living foolishly, and squandering the life God gave us is a completely different scenario altogether. I’m writing to the hearts of those who encounter difficulties. I’m writing to the reader who has committed to seeking out the plans and purposes God holds for their life and find themselves in a place of heartache, a place of pain, a place of suffering.
Romans 5:3-4 NIV says “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Read through that Scripture again.
Okay—now, just once more. Really just one more time.
Did you see those words? That we should “glory” in our sufferings.
Like - - - we should thank God for them? Why would we be grateful for suffering?
Did you see where suffering leads? It leads to character.
Character!
So, if the Word says that suffering leads to character, can it be considered that if we never experience suffering, or difficulty, or the places that are so challenging we’re empty of ourselves, then can it be considered that if we never walk those seasons then we’re not developing our character?
Y’all.
It all starts with difficult places. Those difficult places lead to pushing through. That pushing through develops our character. And then our character leads us to the absolute best part of this journey . . . . . HOPE!
The more painful places we walk; the more hurt and heartache we experience; the more difficulties we face; the more hope we have.
Please join back with me next week for some focus points on developing from difficulty.
