Powerful Reminders for Overcoming Adversity
If you have lived for very long, you have met someone who has given up on their dreams or their goals in life. The reasons are always compelling in their opinion. Yet, in most instances, they did not give up because the challenges were too great or insurmountable, but simply because they FELT the challenges were to great. They were controlled by their feelings – their emotions – based on events that came their way while they were on their journey to pursue what they had most wanted in life. If you can relate to this battle in your personal life or know someone who has been defeated by the negative emotions related to hopelessness or discouragement, here are some powerful reminders for overcoming the temptation to quit in life.
Giving into failure (quitting) is more in one’s perception that what they have to walk through is too difficult for them. If this is something that you are struggling with, remember that the nature of personal failure is not that the goals you have are too difficult to achieve. Overcoming adversity is something that everyone is faced with at one time or another in their lives.
Truth be told, if you are doing anything that is of any consequence or value in life for the sake of others, you can almost be guaranteed that adversity and trials will find you. Overcoming adversity is just a part of life for those who are participating in life, and success is filled with adversity and challenges.
If you have any spiritual beliefs and find comfort from time to time in Holy Scripture, the Bible reminds us that we can “do all things through Christ which give us strength,” (Philippians 4:13). Did you get that? You can do ALL THINGS. But there is a caveat to this promise.
The caveat to seeing our dreams become a reality and no sorrow being added to it is that we must be seeking to do the will of God in our lives. When we are seeking to do His will, we are inspired. When we are actively seeking to do God’s will in our lives – those things that He desires of us – we will be directed by His Spirit. When we are inspired and directed by His Spirit, then the things we are doing have His blessing on them. It does not mean that we will not be met with challenges or obstacles, but it DOES mean that the dreams we have, the goals we have, and the focus of our lives will be God inspired and not inspired by our own selfish nature. The result is our best being realized, whether it is our daily best at work or that of seeing our life goals realized.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. (Psalm 37:23)
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives (Psalm 37:23). How cool is that? When we are being directed by God, then we can have the assurance that He is directing the affairs of our lives. The more we press in and listen for His voice and leading, the greater our confidence and our peace will be in what we are doing – even when trials come our way. When we are seeking the face and heart of God concerning our lives and the affairs of our lives – even our dreams, hopes, goals or vision for our life He has given us – we need not be anxious about the challenges or trials that come our way.
When our lives are pleasing to God, then we can have the confidence in knowing that He is directing our path. This is also true about the dreams He gives us and the vision to pursue something notable or purposefully meaningful in our lives. While there are some guidelines that are imperatives to follow if we want to act wisely in our planning, decision making, and the pursuit of our dreams, goals, or vision God has given us, you can be assured that if we are in God’s will, then NO trial, challenge, or obstacle in our lives can shipwreck His plan for our lives.
If you have been given a dream, purpose, or vision for your life and you are endeavoring to pursue it, determine today that you will not give up on your dreams. Make it a priority in your life that you will endeavor to surround yourself with the kind of people that can help make your dreams a reality. If you do this, the trials and obstacles that you will face as you are fulfilling His purpose for your life (your personal success story) will be far less challenging when they come.
“…don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.” (proverbs 24:6)
One last thing about the challenges that you will face in this life as you pursue your greatest success. This is a scripture that has spoken to my needs on more occasions than I can count, and it’s encouragement has carried me through some pretty tough times in my life. It says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of your lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1: 2-5)
When you choose to surrender to what God has for you, you will be able to experience even the worst of trials and be able to endure through all of them. When God is in your plans, you can always have confidence in His plan for your life being fulfilled. Once you know that God is in whatever you are doing or endeavor to do, when adversity comes, you can be confident that He will not give you so much that you will not be able to endure through it.
