Life Is Difficult

One day I was complaining to my boss about how we did business. I told him the way the company did things made no sense and it made our job very, very, difficult. My boss gave me a short lecture and made three very clear points. Number one, life is difficult. Two, it is what it is. And finally, stop your whining and crying.

As I reflected on what my boss said, I had a feeling of deja vu because I know that I’ve had similar conversations with the LORD. Whenever I’m having a “why” moment, I often hear Jesus saying, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). And just in case I turn a deaf ear to the LORD, Scripture continually repeats itself and Peter bluntly says, “Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you (I Peter 3:12).

Paul makes the point, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man” (I Corinthians 10:13). In other words, “it is what is” and later Paul goes on to say, “Do everything without complaining or arguing” (Philippians 2:14).

But this is where the familiarity ends and if I continue to seek God, His Presence leads me into His reality. God says that He understands (Hebrews 4:15). God doesn’t say deal with it or figure it out by yourself, instead He says that He would be with us always (Matthew 28:20, Hebrews 13:5, John 14:18).

He said that He would help us in our trouble (Psalms 46:1), and either provide a way of escape or give us the power to overcome our difficulties (I Corinthians 10:13).

God said that He would give us His Spirit (John 14:16, 16:7, II Corinthians 1:21-22), so that we can rejoice always (I Thessalonians 5:16), even in the most difficult times (James1:2).

Yup, life is difficult. But it’s nothing that God can’t handle (Jeremiah 32:27, John 16:33).