Hold Steady And Let God Work

 '...our light affliction... is working for us...'

2 Corinthians 4:17

There are times in your life when everything you attempt to do will seem to go wrong. Your faith may be strong and your commitment deep, yet adversity will come knocking on your door. In such times, the power of prayer will strengthen and stabilise you. But you can't pray away life's seasons! God has a purpose for not allowing you to be fruitful all the time. Real growth requires seasons of struggle as well as seasons of success. Your seasons of struggle destroy pride in your own ability, increase your dependence on God, and cause you to say, like Paul did, 'Not that we are sufficient of ourselves... our sufficiency is from God' (2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV). These are humbling experiences, but you need them. 

Your life is like a tree: in winter it silently refurbishes its strength, preparing for the next season of fruitfulness. As you look back on your life's accomplishments you'll notice that they are seasonal. There are seasons of rain as well as sunshine, and each season serves an important purpose. That's why it's a mistake to make a permanent decision based on a temporary circumstance or changing emotion. '...the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal' (2 Corinthians 4:18). The word temporal means 'subject to change'. Hold steady, it's not always going to be this way! Sometimes the situation doesn't call for action, it calls for patience and trust in God. Paul writes, 'Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us.' In ways you cannot understand, God is making the circumstances you're in today work for your good.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.