Difficulty Diligence Delight

(This is a "flying fingers" post.  Written hurriedly because time was short and the message felt important.  So here you go.....)

What could I possibly mean with this odd title today?

Well, while walking this morning I talked to the Lord about what the next post should be.  Suddenly it was crystal clear.  Use these three words and write to encourage!

Each of us encounter difficulty that has varying degrees of impact.  Everything from simple inconvenience to the difficulties that threaten to knock us off our feet.

Difficulty is part of life.  And if we don't understand that, we can easily become disheartened every single time we encounter trouble.  I'm often surprised by the people who look up to Heaven and ask, "Why ME?!  Why has this happened to ME?!"

After having dealt with so many different forms and degrees of difficulty, I tend to think that "Why Me?" is an unproductive perspective.

May I suggest that perhaps the better prayer would be, "God, help me stay courageous in the middle of this difficulty.  Make me a person who works on with diligence in spite of the trouble I'm feeling right now."

You see, I know from personal experience that if we remain diligent with our part while facing difficulty, eventually we'll cross over into a better season and DELIGHT always follows the ones who've chosen diligence in difficulty.  (Oh, such a run-on sentence.  Please forgive me, Mr. Calbert.)

Here are a few truths that help me work on with an attitude of diligence when I'm experiencing difficulty:

• God knows right where I am!
• He never wastes anything!
• His plans for my life are GOOD!
• He sees the beginning and the ending!

And as I began to write, this thought came to mind:
Sometimes Difficulty serves as the ferry which moves me to the new Destination I've been longing to reach!   

(Oh, my goodness, that's preaching material right there!)

Experiencing Difficulty?  Stay Diligent in your work today, my friend.  Remind yourself that Delight will surely come.  And you may even find yourself arriving at a new Destination.

Hope is a powerful thing!  Especially when we hope in God!