I can’t think of a time I’ve heard anyone complain about their life being too easy. I’ve never heard a person gripe about a lack of strife or obstacles in their life. I myself have complained, however about life being too hard at times. I know people complain about life being tough. And I know there are seasons we’d rather not relive, but when you think about it, wouldn’t you rather life be a little too tough than not tough enough?

We need struggle
I was reading through Spurgeon’s Morning devotion last Friday and this began to make sense to me. We need struggle. We need trials; it is our nature to fight. When have you experienced the most growth in your life? I assure you it wasn’t during the golden days of smooth sailing. No, I’m willing to bet it was during the times that God uses most to grab our attention and bring us closer to Himself.

Why do we need struggle?
We need struggle. I get lulled to sleep when things are going well in life. When things go well for an extended period of time, I forget how much I need God. I lose the edge to my dedication. Look at the great men and women of the Bible. They are no exception. In fact, they’re all in their because of struggle. They’re found on the pages marred with strife and adversity. And today we admonish their faith and God’s goodness.

Don’t run
I’m not calling for self-flagellation. I’m not advising we all run around like kamikaze pilots looking to actively make our lives harder. That’s stupid. Instead, I’m advising we not run from it. I’m advising we don’t try and hurry it along or wish it away. Instead, let us work through our struggle with prayer and perseverance. Sure, it hurts. Sure, we are uncomfortable. But, it is only for our good. It is only for our growth. God is not a cosmic malefactor.

There will be struggle in this life, perhaps even more for God’s faithful. Rather than take flight or gripe, we ought to be thankful God cares so much. He goes through painstaking effort to ensure our growth. He has handcrafted each trial for our maximum good. He made us, knows every fiber of our beings and loves us. He allows struggle because of this love and it’s up to us to let it play out it’s divine purpose. Let’s not just expect it, but accept it as a gift from our loving Father. Cheers, friends.