Shattered but Unshakable: You Have Overcome All

A Guide to Overcoming Adversity 

Help, am losing faith!

 In life, it's almost a guarantee that you will encounter hardships. Sometimes you feel like giving up and metaphorically lying on the ground in defeat and despair. 

But if you look past these challenges, you'll find a great opportunity to grow and become a better you. This post is meant to let you know that with God, you have already overcome those challenges.

Faith

Your first stop in remaining sane in the midst of life's storms is having faith. But what the heck is faith, you ask?

The EASY Bible defines faith as follows

This is what it means to trust God: We will be sure about the things that we hope for. We will be sure in our minds about things that we cannot even see.

The Living Bible has its very vivid explanation of faith:

What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.

Different versions of Hebrews 1:1

Be sure that whatever you are hoping for is already there, waiting for you, in Christ Jesus. Are you you struggling with something, an addiction, a family situation, unemployment... the list goes on?

Be confident that your desired outcome is waiting for you. Faith is the receipt that God has already done it. Although things might look different right now, God has already ordained a way for you, just press on.

Strength in Weakness

God's grace is already sufficient in your life. Just lean on it.

Adversity exposes our weaknesses and vulnerabilities, leaving us feeling raw. But God is always there to strengthen us. 

Take Paul as an example, when he prayed to God about his "thorn in my flesh". What was God's response?

Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities. 10 Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite happy about “the thorn,” and about insults and hardships, persecutions and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong—the less I have, the more I depend on him. (2 Cor 12:9-10 TLB)

In hardships, learn to depend on God. He can never put you to shame. Instead of trying to make your marriage work through your means, bribing your way into a job, doing something shameful to get a promotion, let God do the heavy lifting while you reap the fruits thereof.

Stay Put

To have faith in God is believing that He is doing something, even when it seems obnoxious. But it is pure joy. 

In the book of James he tells us this:

2 Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, 3 for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. (James 1:2-4 TLB)

Treat your adversities as a fertilizer for patience. Don't uproot the tree of patience by throwing in the cards. 

Don't give up!

When the road is rough, change down but don't stop. You are learning, aren't you? In the end you will have a strong character, like an experienced driver, ready to navigate any road, rough or smooth. You will be proud of success, when at last you realize it.

Here comes restoration

God's promises do not extend to mere survival. In God we do not just survive; we thrive. Even in your darkes hour, know that God is working in your life, setting you up for greater things.

This is what He says in  the book of Peter:

Yes, you will suffer for a short time. But after that, God will make everything right. He will make you strong. He will support you and keep you from falling. He is the God who gives all grace. He chose you to share in his glory in Christ. That glory will continue forever. (1 Peter 5:10 ERV)

You are assured of a soft landing even when you are going through a rough patch. Keep reminding yourself of God's promise to restore and renew you, to share in His glory; not in heaven yet, but here on earth!

Joseph might have felt the same way as you and me in hardship when he was sold into slavery. But God had other plans with the slavery situation

To lift Joseph from the pit to the palace.

Just like Joseph, God is working in and out of hardship to lift you up and catapult you to greatness. In your darkest moment, remind yourself that this is another source of blessing and purpose.

Community

Yes, God can and is working in your life individually, but we all need someone to shar with. That's why you need a community of same-faith supporters in your darkest hour. 

If nothing else, they will remind you what God is saying about you and your future.

After all, they say, a problem shared is a problem half-solved. A support community will carry your burden, as exemplified in Galatians.

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (GAlatians 6:2 MSG)

Trusted friends and confidants will give you fresh perspective and restore your hope and optimism in life. This is what the believers were doing in Acts 4:32-35.

All in all, overcoming adversity is not about avoiding hard tims, but facing them with an unshakable faith in God. Overcomers don't turn back when they see a mountain of trouble; they forge forward, trusting in the God who strengthen stheir feet.

I invite you to remain grounded in faith, persevere through hardship, embrace your weaknesses, trust in God's promises and invest in a faith community. 

By the way, you are closer to relief than you thought!

I can promise you this: You will emerge from your dark valley not just unbroken, but stronger and more resilient.