Challenges

My life is certainly challenging currently.

Challenges
Unemployed
No medical insurance while enduring health issues
Single parent
Limited financial resources

While I am making a list of things that are not going well in my life, I should also make a list of what I have to be thankful for.

Blessings
Overall good health
Kids are healthy
Awesome church family
We have a roof over our head
We have food in the refrigerator
I get to spend more time with my kids
I get to focus on projects around the house I did not have time for when I was working
I can explore new and different options for income earning
I'm learning to slow down
My parents have been helpful financially through these difficult times. It's teaching me to appreciate them more.

I'm sure there are many more blessings that do not come to mind at this moment. But notice how the list of blessings is longer than the list of challenges. I think that is true for all of us. If we will take the time to make a list of what is going good and what is not going good in our lives, we will find that the good outweighs the bad.

We need to keep a healthy perspective when thinking about how there are others who have it far worse. It is good to think about how we still have opportunities to help people even when we feel at our lowest. But not at the expense of minimizing our own situations. Because others have it worse does not mean that we are wrong to have the feelings we have. We just can't allow the feelings to have us. We have to rise above our feelings and push through with what God has in store for us.

Job is a man of the Bible who suffered far worse than I probably ever will. We read in Job 1 how God allowed Satan to bring about trouble in Job's life. Notice in the verses below how God tells Satan what he can and cannot do to Job.

Job 1:9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

The same is true for us. God allows Satan to cause certain problems in our lives. What we need to remember is that it is Satan that is causing the problems and it is only what God will allow. God allows challenges and difficulties for us to grow in our faith. We should be thankful for the challenges as much as the blessings.

Job 2:10b  Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”  In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
                                                                                                                                                             Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.