Running a Fearless RaceSample

Purpose in Your Hardships

So much can be learned from the hard times. They teach us wisdom. They cultivate patience. They make us more loving, kind, and generous if we allow them to.

As an athlete, I’ve won some races. But I’ve also suffered some devastating defeats. As I’ve mentioned, I used to be terrified of falling short, and the fear of doing so has held me back from so much in my life. What I didn’t know then is that God can redeem our failures and grant us wisdom from our experiences. In recent years, I have made decisions that I wish I could take back, experienced seasons that felt like they would never end in terms of hardship, and had overall difficulty in trying to muster up strength within myself.

Failures can be painful in the moment, but next time you fall short, try to imagine what God might be doing in your life. Lean deeper into Him to seek wisdom on how to conduct yourself moving forward. By doing this, you set yourself up to be spiritually connected to the vine and learn from the Word how Jesus handled the hurdles in his life.

Missionary and author Elisabeth Elliot once said, “Suffering is never for nothing.”[1] Another quote by her reads, “I realized that the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.”[2]

As you endure your seasons of adversity, may your gaze be fixed upon Jesus so that by trusting in Him through it all, your heart may be strengthened to endure as we run this race of life.

Reflect

What have you learned from the difficult seasons in your life? Has your faith grown through them? Whether through prayer, reading, fasting, or community, how can your difficult seasons allow you to cling to God?

Pray

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the trials you have placed before me. As James says: they are a joy... for amid hardship, I can present my faith as genuine (James 1:2-4). Lord, please continue to be my sustainer in the middle of the storm. May my gaze stay fixed upon you, for Your grace is sufficient for today. In Christ’s name, I pray, amen.

[1] Elliot, Elisabeth. Suffering Is Never for Nothing. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2019.

[2] Elliot, Elisabeth. Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ’s Control. Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 2002.