Difficult Times Grow Character
It is inevitable that more than once in your lifetime you will go through some difficult seasons. In the heat of the moment, it sometimes feels like these terrible times will never end.
We allow ourselves to be deeply affected by bad experiences, be it in the past or the present or even the fear of things that could happen in the future. Maybe something bad happened to you as a child, maybe something bad happened to a loved one, and you are struggling to come to terms with the issue at hand.
It could have come in a way someone challenged you, spoke down at you, or maybe it was someone who was just treating you really bad, making you feel unworthy or unloved.
The Bible teaches us that something happens to us when we go through difficult times. Ittells us that when we go through difficult times, these trials produce endurance in us.Challenges in difficult times build endurance or “staying power”, but not only that … it also has the ability to change our hearts, or you could say it changes our character. Mostimportantly, when it comes to all these different kinds of challenges, we need to remember,that we are actually at peace with God, and that it’s not God who sends the trials; however,when we are going through tests, He will use them to develop our character.
If you look at Romans chapter 5, it is so clear that we are saved by faith. Since we have been saved by faith, we can be at peace with God in Christ; therefore, now everything that gets thrown at us, even those things that are like an attack from the enemy, can be turned into something that will change our hearts for the better. Our response to these trials is truly what really matters. Have a look at what it says:
Romans 5:1–5 (NKJV)
1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Once again, it is so comforting to know that God will even use the bad things that happens to us to produce something good within us. I’ll even go as far as to say that sometimes these bad things can create such a change in us that we become so much stronger and more usable by God. It is so important to never give up and always be mindful that the Bible teaches us that God will turn ALL things out for good, for those who love Him.
