Hardships Prepares Ordinary People For An Extraordinary Destiny

I think if someone has mastered the art of hopping on one leg and tricking everyone into thinking they have two it is me.  For myself, I know exactly where God wants me to be and what He wants me to do.  But boy did I learn and am still learning that no God given purpose is easy.

So many times we think that when God ordained us to do something then he is going to make it a cake walk to get there.  But it is quite the contrary.  If  I an run down the last 8 years of my life, some people would be amazed as to how and why I still believe in God.

Just to give you an idea.

Had a baby out of wedlock (check)
Abandoned by my son’s father when I was pregnant (check)
Son’s father goes to prison for 6 years (check)
Found out son’s father is still married (check)
Find out son’s father has girlfriend as well (check)
Not ever getting a child support payment (check)
Lose job (check)
Get another job making significantly less money (check)
Give up that job to follow God’s oath for my life (check)
Go through significant financial hardship (check)
Struggle (check)
Had string after string of terrible self centered relationships (check)
Have son’s father come home and realize that you are stuck in this parenting situation with him for the next 12 years (check)
Grandfather hospitalized  (check)
Close family member dies at three months old (check)
Talked About (check)
Persecuted against (check)

And these are really the ones that I can only think of off the back.  I have had so many people tell me that I seem so happy and they never would have guess that at any giving moment something in my life is crumbling down around me.


I will admit that there are times in which I just want to thrown in the towel, stop trying, and let the cards fall where they may good or bad.  Sometimes I feel that God is punishing me which frustrates me the most.  I tell God time and time again, “I gave it all to you, I have given everything up for you; what do you want? My life?”

Sometimes I feel that praying one more time and not seeing immediate results take to much effort. Sometimes I think praising God takes a voice that I simply do not have left.  Sometimes I sit and think “ Why am I praying about the same thing over and over again and I have not seen any type of change, what is the point?”

But you see I have come to learn a valuable lesson.  When you want to be used by God nothing comes for free.  Any person that you can ever think of that has been used by God has been through something.  Most of Jesus’ disciples all died some horrific death and even before they died they were all beaten up or persecuted for their belief in Christ.

In fact most significant people in the Bible went through some horrific event or events in their life time that would make a normal person want to give up.

But why?
Why does God do that?

Or better yet, why does God allow it to be done to us?

I think each person is different.  For myself, I know that it was a humbling experience.  I use to idolize having money, my job, and how much I made.  But it became hard when all of it was taken from me.

And even though I believe in God, I always some how felt that whatever situation I was in that I could fix it.  God had to show me different.

Even in this journey I have learn to be more empathetic.  I have been around so many people that are judgmental or see themselves as greater than someone else just because of the title they hold or their education.

I have a Master’s degree and am almost done with my PhD.  Does that change your viewpoint of me? Or does that make my struggle any less real?

My point is that if you want God to use you, then use you He will.  If you want much, then much is going to be required out of you.  So many time we hear the verse that “ If God cannot trust you with little then how can He trust you with much.”

I have come to learn that this just does not just pertain to money.  It can mean that God is going to take the very things away from you that you feel define you.

That could be your car, money, home, anything.  And when you get to that place, where everything is gone, you realize that those things did not define you. God is the one that defines you.

When you get to a place where you realize that you have no body and no one to lean. You have no choice but to lean on God and trust that in the midst of chaos, everything is going to be alright. Despite what you see. Do you believe that?

And if you do, than believing God is 99% of the battle.  And the key is to not do it kicking and screaming letting everyone know how horrible your life is, but rather putting a smile on your face in the midst of the pain. And praising God all the way.  That is a sure way to let others know that God has your back.