“THE STRUGGLE”

SCRIPTURE MEDITATION: 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

…even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I’ve come to understand one thing in life…there are just some struggles God doesn’t simply deliver us from.  No matter how much we pray, attempt to live a righteous life, be good to others, give away all we have, help with every need in our churches, there are just some things God will purpose for us to walk through even when we feel like it’s crushing us in the process.

In Our Struggle, If God Allows Us To Go Through, Does That Make Him Bad And Less Of A Good Father?

I’ve come to learn the answer to that question, but it took a lot of tears and agony for me to have that revelation.  The answer is simply NO! No matter what we go through, our crisis doesn’t change the nature or character of God. God is good and knows nothing but to be good to His children even when He allows us to go through the storms of life. There were times I was utterly disappointed in God for allowing certain things to happen.  It was during my darkest hours after I fasted and travailed in prayer and counted on Him most, is when God at times, answered No!

I lost my father that raised me September of 2007. No words could ever describe the sense of loss, hopelessness and anger I felt. When we found him in the bed unresponsive, I exercised my faith.  I thought to myself, okay, if the disciples could raise folks from the dead, so can I, for the power of Jesus rests in me too. So, I anointed his body and declared he would live, prayed without ceasing and believed.  My father went home to be with the Lord that very day. Prior to that experience, I always said to God if He took my dad, He and I would have some serious problems. I truly loved Jesus, but after losing so many family members growing up, that was the one prayer I needed him to honor since I had gone through so much with facing death.  Once the doctors said that he passed, all I could do is look up to the Heavens and declare, “I Love You Still! “Is God Still Good and Is He Still A Good Father?

My Uncle just recently passed away after being in ICU for a month.  Prior to his illness, I truly believed God that He would do a new work in my Uncle and he would truly restore and heal him of his afflictions. I believed God for a family reunion with my Uncle and other relatives I hadn’t connected with for a long time. I fasted and prayed and believed that in my lifetime, a restoration and reunion for my family would happen.  During April 2015, I watched my uncle take his last breath after suffering for a month.  That great family reunion I hoped for happened around in his death bed. My Uncle’s salvation and deliverance happened in his death. Is God Still Good and Is He Still A Good Father?

How about when I worked so hard towards building great credit to only lose my job and couldn’t pay my bills none the less pay them on time? What about when you pray and fast for an answer, but the answer comes in a way that’s unexpected or doesn’t come at all?  When you struggle and strive to keep your head above water expecting God to show up and He’s quiet and you don’t see the provision how or when you need it most? Is God Still Good and Is He Still A Good Father?

My struggle with obesity, I never understood why I struggled so much in my adult years even with my greatest efforts. I’ve conquered greater and more challenges things in my life, but for some reason, God brought me here. He’s sees me struggling, He sees my sorrow, why can’t He just deliver me. I’m faithful! Why can’t God just give me a special grace to finish or allow it to come a little easier?  He’s God, why can’t He just look my way and just deliver me? Paul said it best, “Oh, What A Wretched Man I Am! Who Can Save Me?” Who can save us from sin and death? Who can save me from myself? When I want to do right, I do wrong? Who can save me?

In scripture, the answer to who can save us from ourselves is Jesus. After many years of searching, I have found the answer for myself and His Name is JESUS! JESUS! JESUS! Jesus is the only person that can save us eternally and from our afflictions here on earth.

One thing I learned in the agony of my disappointments and the search for my deliverance: 1) I’ve learned to be obedient to His Will no matter what’s He’s asking of me, 2) Humble to His process in how He does things and relinquishing my control and 3) Trusting in His Sovereignty, that He is good, all knowing Wise Father who has good intentions towards me and purposes to bring me to an expected end. 

It was those three keys that kept me during my struggles, disappointments and tremendous heartbreaks.  If he hasn’t delivered me yet, there is something He’s trying to teach me and something He’s trying to bring out of me to elevate me in Him. If He simply gave us everything we prayed for or made our deliverance process easy, we would never truly learn how to fight, overcome or appreciate our deliverance and His precious grace to overcome. For those with a high calling, there is a price you must pay for the anointing.

A lot of people don’t talk about the struggle that comes along with being a Christian. In being a Christian, it’s not always rain time and harvest, the abundance and overflow. It seems like in my life, God takes me the l-o-o-n-n-g hard road, nothing ever comes easy for me and my family. There are tremendous triumphs and joys in walking with God, nothing could be greater, but there are also the lows, the wilderness, the process, the crushing, the pruning, the molding that makes you feel like you’re dying, but it’s the process necessary to receive the fine anointing that turn us into the jewels God desires for us to be. As we overcome each struggle, we receive grace and power to help others overcome. Our hardship, struggle and disappointments are foundations and building blocks that once we overcome, will be our platform to relate and help others.

Scripture says in Hebrews 5:1-4, 7-10

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness…⁴ And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God…⁷ who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, ⁸ though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, ¹⁰ called by God as High Priest

There is a reason for our fight and struggle. Christ struggled, but after He struggled, He was triumphant and sat at the right hand of God and sits as High Priest interceding for us. In our fight, God is preparing us for the higher calling on our lives. We must be encouraged and ask God, “What is it you want me to learn?” and sit at His feet until your answer comes.  Seek the Lord while He may be found, call on Him while He is near.

The bible says don’t despise small beginnings.  In my life, I have learned and I’m learning to allow God to have his way.  I look at myself and the weight I’ve gained utterly disappointed and ashamed, but God had a plan to bring me here, this blog, this day, and this platform to speak to His people. Losing weight for me is truly grueling and hard especially when I’m tired and going through, but God is teaching me how to push, press and overcome even when I’m going through.

In our process, we MUST be convinced that Yes, God Is A Good God And In-Spite Of, He Is Still A Good Father No Matter What He Allows Us To Go Through. Is God a man that He should lie? No! His Word Is True and I have come to know through utter despair that His word has been my lifeline.

If God has not lifted a burden from us, we have to stay at His feet. We have to accept His process for our lives and trust him for the results.  We have to sit until He tells us to move. We have to move when He tells us to go. I’m living in that every day of my life. I’m trusting God for my deliverance and as He will do His part, my part is to be obedient and to work at what He’s asking of me.

WILL YOU DO THE SAME? DO YOU WANT WHAT HE’S TRYING TO GIVE YOU? Let’s press until we get to the end. He’ll See Us Through To The Finish Line.

PRAYER:

Father, there is a design and purpose for my pain.  I pray for grace, strength and courage to walk through your process for my life. There is a purpose behind my pain and struggle, I speak grace over my weary soul that wants to give up when the fight becomes too much to bear. I speak grace over the things I can’t change, but things only you can change. I speak grace over that mountain, that stumbling block that stands in my way of achieving victory. I speak life, grace, peace, courage, boldness and perseverance over myself that I will not only start, but finish the race you set before me. My soul is automatically becoming obedient to your will for my life and this day, I speak victory and I have power to overcome. Just want you to know I appreciate what you’re doing in my life, even when it hurts. I love you Lord and I thank you for everything. Your kingdom come, Your Will Be Done, On Earth, Even as it is in Heaven, Come Lord, Come!  In Jesus Holy Name, Amen!

As always, be encouraged, stay connected, fight and Let’s Become Free Together.

In His Name,

Ke’Shawn Adamson

B.O.O.M!

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