Pressing on in Faith

I don’t like hard things. They’re uncomfortable. It’s like having someone pinch you in a tender spot over and over again. If I had my way, I’d be lazy and hide in a shell of selfishness from reality, from God’s prodding at my heart and from pain.

However, I’m starting to realize (for the Nth time) that these hard things are incredible blessings. When God reveals a sin and takes hold of it, uprooting it from my heart, He tells me that it’s dead to me and I must relinquish it. I all love my sin - not going to lie. It’s comfortable. Yet when He claims it as dead to me and pushes me away from the old places I once wallowed in, and into new lessons and seasons . . . it’s good. I can see Him more clearly when He clears aways the weeds from my heart. Pain drives me to Him, and because I know that He is sovereign and that He is good, I am able – through the tears – to thank Him for hard things. They make me know Him better, and that is simply amazing.

When He lays His hand on something in my life and looks me in the eyes and says, “Let go; this is not yours. It does not glorify me or serve you. I have something far better for you!” I know that He’s right, and though it’s difficult to surrender I know that I can trust Him. He doesn’t change, and He’s always been faithful to His own. If He cared enough to supply the fulfillment of my greatest need by slaying His only Son in my place, then how can I not trust Him to continue to be good to me?

That good might not look like I expected, but that’s all right. I would far rather have His best for me than my misconception of what His best might look like. And so I will press on, by His strength, in the faith that He gives me. For He is my Lord, and I can trust Him.

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

(As Long as You Are Glorified, Mark Altrogge)