Take Back Your Life: Thinking Right So You Can Live RightSample

Embrace the Struggle

You are destined for impact. You’re beloved, you are unspeakably valuable, and you were made by God for His joy and for His grand purpose. You may be struggling with this, but as you listen to God and make decisions, you are developing the muscles of faith. Embrace the struggle. 

We treat the subject of God’s will as though it were this crazy, exotic, mysterious thing, but in truth, it’s far less cryptic. Discerning God’s calling is about who you are becoming more than where you are going. Perhaps it’s less about what you do and more about how well you do whatever you do. It’s here and it’s ready, if you would just open your eyes. 

We get hung up on the particulars of God’s concealed will, but—assuming you are walking with Him and obeying His revealed will—you can do what you want or go where you want and trust that He is the one leading and guiding through your thoughts and desires. Step out in faith knowing God goes before you and sets things up, guiding you in His providence and preparing things for you to discover. 

If you’re discouraged by the difference between who you are now and who you want to be, between the now and the not yet, rest in the fact that we have a living Savior so we have a living hope. Jesus will come back and what the Enemy has destroyed will be restored. There is more life in front of us than behind us. That day isn’t here yet, and sometimes it seems as if it will never come, but it is guaranteed (see Romans 8:19–25). We can live in expectation, full of anticipation. This is what will keep you going when you feel like quitting. 

Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth (see Colossians 3:2). The future is where you must focus, not the past. When your heart is properly focused on the things that are to come instead of paralyzed by the hard and the horrible things you have had to handle, you are postured to be effective in the present. With God’s help, you can turn up the excitement for all the joy and glory that await and combat the deadly hypnotizing pull of this world. 

With the future in mind, keep showing up to the fight today and every day. You will face failure. You will think of quitting, of giving up. You will begin to lose faith in your dream. But the truth is, this is a fight and it’s not over. A fight includes getting knocked down and getting back up again. It can be a difficult, bloody battle. 

As you continue to fight the good fight and keep living, it’s not just for yourself you must fight to take back your life. God wants to save lives through you. Who knows what your legacy will be if you keep getting up and showing up. Who knows who God will inspire by how you face your struggles with faith and hope in Jesus.

Respond

What have you learned from your struggles, both in your mind and in your circumstances?

How does your perspective on failure affect your ability to face your struggles? 

How does showing up every day allow God to use you? Why is showing up worth the cost?