Struggling and Learning

Suggested Scripture
Daniel 11:1-35

Key Verse

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:35, NIV)

Sometimes almost everything seems to go wrong. Some days the traffic is bad enough to make you late for work, the printer goes on the fritz, the crockpot isn't plugged in, and a favorite shirt shrinks in the wash. Other times we must deal with serious health issues, the loss of a friend, or the weight of a difficult decision can bring us to our knees.

When life causes us to stumble, getting back up can be difficult. God is still there to hold us and help us take another step. When God allows some things to be taken away from us, he may be doing so to remind us that we need to trust him more completely. Maybe he wants us to walk away from our current situation and trust him to meet our needs even as we face the unknown.

God uses the difficulties in our lives as an opportunity to show us things from a new perspective. From our humble position on our knees, we need to look up to God through prayer and ask him to help us identify the source of our problem, and then show us what we must do from there. He can take away the things that are causing us to stumble, but only when we ask him to.

No one likes to have a bad day in any form. We are quick to lose heart when bad days include heavy emotional or spiritual struggle. If we understand that God can use those times to teach us, we are more likely to persevere in the face of difficulty. Remember, God is always teaching us, even in the trying times.

Reflecting Pool

What is causing you to stumble today?

When God has brought you to your knees, how has he lifted you up again?

What is a lesson you have learned during a past trial? How can that help you with your current struggles?