PROGRESS IN THE STRUGGLE

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57.

Today I walked through my neighborhood and talked with my neighbors. I came back home and put on some herbs tea to drink. A mixture of Father John, rhubarb, and Ginger. This is my internal cleaning medicine for my body today.

During this pandemic, people are struggling with the loss of love once, sickness, no food, or no jobs to support their families and get ahead. During my quiet time, this has caused me to look deeper into the importance of taking care of my internal and external body. This has also caused me to see what more can I do to help. For many, this has been a struggle. But they are learning to move ahead with the setbacks. Yet, they need our help if they are going to make it! It is said, "Imagine if you got what you want every time? No struggle, no hard work, no challenges, no hard work required.

Some of you are saying that would be great. (But,) you would be weak and then when something hard comes up in your life, you wouldn't know how to handle it because you have never gone through anything that strengthens you. You cannot grow without struggle. You cannot develop strength without resistance, without challenging yourself, without struggle.

Pain is your friend maybe not in the moment, but for the evolution of your soul, and for a long-term benefit of you. As a stronger human being, pain is your friend. If you didn't have failures, if you didn't have struggles, if you didn't have disappointment, you could have no strength, no courage, no compassion. How could you!

Those properties are made from (the school of) pain, and struggle. You are given pain because you are strong enough to handle it. You are given this life because you are strong enough to live it, because you are strong enough to drive through it, to thrive to it, to aspire others through it.

Then when they will look to you and say he did it, she did it, (than they will say,) I have the strength to do it too. You are stronger than you think. You (have) survived all your challenges to this point, and you will survive whatever is coming. (Because of your faith in God). But (the) next time a struggle comes; I don't want you to curse the skies. Know that it was sent for a reason and a lesson.

(Today your struggle) might be to make you stronger. It might be to teach you patience. It might be for you to show others your spirit. There is a reason. So, don't you give up. You have a purpose in this world and you will only find it if you keep going and keep growing.

Your struggle is a part of your story. Your struggle made you the person you are today. Your struggle is your life. Your struggle is your gift. Many people look at struggle like it's a bad thing. Your struggle will be the gift that the world falls in love with.

Nobody wants to hear a story of a man that was given everything. People want to hear the stories of men and women that endured pain and turned their struggles into a gift (for others). Do you want people to feel sorry for you, or (do) you want people to look up to (God through) you? Do you want to be a legend? Because legends are born in the valley of struggle.

Fear is only a fictional movie. But reality is a struggle. Reality is the struggle so take the struggle and change the reality. Because the whole time you were thinking that your struggle was to hold you back, it was really giving you the tools to become one of the greatest. No more second guess, no more blaming others for the problems you have in your life. It's a new day. (Your struggle is your ticket to your dreams.) Your struggle is your gift," to the world from God! Frederick Douglass once said, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”

In other words, “Nothing can be more helpless, nothing can be more dependent, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly upon GOD. The life of the sincere child of GOD is a life of warfare, and continual conflict. It is a battle and a march. But every act of obedience to GOD, every act of self-denial for His sake, every trial well endured, every victory gained over temptation, is a step in the march to the glory of final victory.

If we take GOD for our guide, He will lead us safely along the narrow way. The road may be rough and thorny; the ascent may be steep and dangerous; there may be pitfalls upon the right hand and upon the left; we may have to endure toil in our journey; when weary, when longing for rest, we may have to toil on; when faint, we may have to fight; when discouraged, we may be called upon to hope; but with Christ as our Guide we shall not lose the path to immortal life, we shall not fail to reach the desired haven at last.

Today we can push on! Because Christ Himself has trod the rough pathway before us and has smoothed the path for our feet. Isaiah 63:3 says, “I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

The confidant word of God today is, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16

The narrow path of holiness, the way cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in, is illuminated by Him who is the light of the world. In John 8:12 Jesus applies the title of light of the world to himself while debating with the Jews and states: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. As we follow in His steps, His light will shine upon us, and as we reflect the light borrowed from the glory of Christ, the path will grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.

We may think it pleasant at first to follow pride and worldly ambition, but the end is pain and sorrow. Selfish plans may present flattering promises and hold out the hope of enjoyment, but we shall find that our happiness is poisoned and our life embittered by hopes that center in self. But in following God through Christ, we are safe, for He will not suffer the powers of darkness to hurt one hair of our heads. He will keep that which is committed to His trust, and we shall be more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Romans 8:37.

When Peter P. Bilhorn wrote the song, (I will follow thee my Savior.) He never knew how widespread his song would go in strengthening the faith of the saints. But it has. Let us look at that song today.

1.     I will follow Thee, my Savior,
Wheresoe’er my lot may be;
Where Thou goest I will follow,
Yes, my Lord, I’ll follow Thee.

2.     Though the road be rough and stormy,
Trackless as the foaming sea,
Thou hast trod this way before me,
And I gladly follow Thee.

3.     Though ’tis lone and dark and dreary,
Cheerless though my path may be,
If Thy voice I hear before me,
Fearlessly I’ll follow Thee.

4.     Though I meet with tribulation,
Sorely tempted though I be,
I remember Thou wast tempted,
And rejoice to follow Thee.

5.     Though Thou leadest through afflictions,
Poor, forsaken though I be,
Thou wast destitute, afflicted,
And I only follow Thee.

Refrain:
I will follow Thee, my Savior,
Thou didst shed Thy blood for me;
And though all men should forsake Thee,
By Thy grace I’ll follow Thee.

Prayer for the day: Lord help me to continue with the great work that you have commission me to do despite my struggles!

Song of the Day: The Struggle Is Over - Youth for Christ

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Garden Ministry Devotionals are written by Chaplain Dr. Kevin J.T. Santucci

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