Certainty In The Face of Hardship

Benjamin Franklin said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." I want to add hardship to that short list. We all experience it. One of the most challenging aspects of hardship is uncertainty. How long is it going to last? How bad will it hurt? Why am I going through it? Even though it is by its very name hard on us, there is a way to ease some of the pain associated with it. That is through certainty. I don’t mean the certainty that you will experience hardship but certainty you have as a Christian that will help you through it. I work out at a place that uses a sophisticated approach to exercise designed to get the most benefit in a short period of time. The goal is to exercise a muscle group so that you get to muscle failure in two minutes. About half way through each set my muscles tire significantly. They start to burn and my brain screams “Quit!” It isn't easy but I keep pushing as hard as I can, except when I don’t, because I know three things. I know what I’m doing is helping me. I know how long it will last. And I have an exercise coach who encourages and reassures me when I really want to quit. “You can do this, just 30 seconds to go. Give it all you've got!” These three things give me certainty that helps me get through it. I choose to go through the hardship of working out. We don’t get to choose the hardships of life and we can’t just walk away from them. What kind of hardship are you facing today? It may be financial or relational or physical. It could be emotional, such as grief or mental, like having a hard assignment or project to finish. If you aren't going through hardship today, give thanks to the Lord and get ready. [inlinetweet prefix="" tweeter="" suffix="@wardcushman"]Thinking about the certainty of the Father's love will help you through hardships.[/inlinetweet] There are four certainties we have as Christians that help us face hardships.

4 Certainties To Think About When You Face Hardship

1. The Father never leaves us 2 Timothy 1:12. It doesn't matter how bad things are, they’re better when we know the Father is with us, and He is.
2. We can always rely on the Father 2 Corinthians 1:8-9. The Father will help, if we ask. We can count on Him, talk to Him, cry out to Him and He will help.
3. Nothing can separate us from the Father’s love Romans 8:35-39. Hardships sometimes blind us to the Father's love. His love never fails.
4. We have a better future Hebrews 6:8-9. Sometimes the only comfort is in knowing the end of the story. God wins. We win. Sin is vanquished. However bad it is now we can be certain our future will be wonderful.

Think about your hardship in light of these four certainties today. You will see it differently and it will lighten your burden. That’s just what the Father wants. Please give me your thoughts or questions on certainty and hardship below.