Much like the changing seasons, challenges are a natural part of life. Just as trees shed their leaves in autumn to grow stronger, we, too, can find growth in our struggles. We can choose to focus on deepening our roots in the Lord during tough times instead of clinging to what’s falling away. This perspective shift can transform how we view and handle obstacles.
Endurance is key! This world can often mislead us into thinking that longevity equals ease. But even seasoned leaders face unexpected challenges. Nothing in life that’s worth it comes without challenges, without resistance, without spiritual warfare. Our challenges could be the devil’s opposition, but most likely, it is God stretching and leading you by faith. The reality is if you’re stepping into doing anything for the Lord, whether serving at your church, working to be the spouse or parent that God made you be, or starting to read your Bible every day…. everything will come with challenges. Don’t be surprised. Don’t be shocked. Don’t shy away. God is working in your life.
Hebrews 10:36-37 (NKJV) For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
You don’t need to be removed from your challenges as much as we want it. We need to learn how to endure them. And that Greek word used in Hebrews is hypomonē has the idea of bearing up under the weight of something. Learning to endure is sometimes something that we have to learn over and over again. Waiting for God, waiting for the sun to rise, waiting for the situation to…… you fill in the blank. But until then, we wait on the Lord. And what is he doing? Renewing your strength…moment by moment and day by day.
Think back to Jesus’ illustration in Matthew, telling the disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side. He knew there would be a storm and that it would teach them a lot about themselves. God uses the storms in our lives. Sometimes, he uses them to correct us, other times to protect us, and finally, to perfect us. There are probably a lot of different ways that you could list, but know this: God will allow these challenges to come in, to correct us, to discipline us, to change us, to reveal things to us that we didn’t know were there.
We are desperate to get out of the challenges. We want the end result. We don’t like the process. But that’s true discipleship. It’s true in leadership. We tend to forget, especially when more responsibilities are conveyed or opportunities are given to us. We forget challenges are part of the process and our own discipleship.
We can never forget that the Lord’s internal work always happens before any external work can take place. Whether serving five people or five thousand, God is continually shaping us.
Challenges aren’t mere obstacles; they’re opportunities for God to mold us into the leaders we’re meant to be. Embrace whatever season of life you are in, trusting that God is at work in every circumstance.
