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Embrace the Friction

Think about the times you’ve grown the most in your relationship with Christ or experienced God in the deepest way. Most of us recall a painful or difficult time when God became more real, more evident, more tangible. There’s one side of pain that hurts—that doesn’t make sense—that’s so difficult. But there’s another side that’s supernatural and powerful.

Isn’t it amazing how God uses a consequence of the fall of man, pain and toil, to be one of the most effective tools for bringing us deeper into relationship with Him? This is why I don’t believe we should just face these difficult times. I believe we should embrace them. Expecting God to work through them. Looking for God’s presence in them. Trusting God will use difficulties to take us further than we could have ever gone without them.

James calls believers to this kind of faith and trust. He calls believers to embrace the friction in life—to count it all joy! What the enemy tries to use as a wall to break us, God will use as a springboard to make us complete!

Brandon Donaldson
Network Churches Team