Isaiah 41:8-20/AMPC - But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham My friend, you whom I [the Lord] have taken from the ends of the earth and have called from the corners of it, and said to you, You are My servant—I have chosen you and not cast you off [even though you are exiled]. Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU AND HARDEN YOU TO DIFFICULTIES, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice. Behold, all they who are enraged and inflamed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; they who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you but shall not find them; they who war against you shall be as nothing, as nothing at all. For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, Who says to you, Fear not; I will help you! Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make you to be a new, sharp, threshing instrument which has teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest or whirlwind shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord, you shall glory in the Holy One of Israel. The poor and needy are seeking water when there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the wild olive; I will set the cypress in the desert, the plane [tree] and the pine [tree] together, that men may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
I realize that as God’s children, we aren't necessarily here to experience lavishly comfortable lives. In fact, we’re called to lay down our lives. And part of that means going through some hard, uncomfortable times. But it’s not because God is cruel. Not at all.
It’s because the enemy is cruel. He steals and kills and destroys, and our earth is shaking with those who have been wounded and don’t know the One who can strengthen them and hold them up.
But we do.
Because when we go through our hard times, keeping our eyes on Jesus, knowing that God Himself girds and strengthens us, not only are we living proof of the Hope within us, but because of what we’ve endured, we can authentically pray, reach out, understand, and point others toward the One who awaits with outstretched arms.
Joshua 1:12-15 Then Joshua addressed the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. He said, 'Remember what Moses the servant of God commanded you: God, your God, gives you rest and He gives you this land. Your wives, your children, and your livestock can stay here east of the Jordan, the country Moses gave you; but you, tough soldiers all, must cross the River in battle formation, leading your brothers, helping them until God, your God, gives your brothers a place of rest just as He has done for you. They also will take possession of the land that God, your God, is giving them. Then you will be free to return to your possession, given to you by Moses the servant of God, across the Jordan to the east.'
God can't harden us to difficulties ... if we never experience any.
Lord, give us the grace to go through and be all that You've called us to be. Live Your life through us. Use us to help others to find peace, healing and victory, just like You have helped us. Thy will be done. In Jesus' name, amen🙏.