How Do You Handle Life's Challenges by Ann Elaine Broughton

“He has made everything beautiful in his time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV).

What in your life needs beautified? Believe it or not but when you are in your most challenging time in your life you are being beautified. God can use challenges in your life to make you a better person and mold you into His likeness. Those experiences may seem to you tremendously difficult but you are to learn a lesson from it. Whenever you find yourself in a situation that is difficult, it is important to pray to God and ask Him what lesson you can learn through it. You had better be open to what you need to learn so that you can move on to another area of your life that needs work. Our characters are built on how we handle difficult challenges. It is important to use these times to trust God, pray, and portray peace in the midst of chaos. That is not easy, but God can give you that peace if you take time to remain still each day and concentrate on His love. You have a choice to make. You can wring your hands, stomp your foot, shake your fist at heaven or you can throw up your hands and say, “God teach me what you want me to learn through this.” I can guarantee that God will answer your prayer and show you what you need to learn. He has never failed in this respect for me.
Jonah is an example of a stubborn character who refused to learn his lesson. He was unhappy about the Lord’s request to tell the Ninevites to repent and God would hear their prayers and forgive them. Jonah ran away from his mission, got swallowed by a very large fish and after 3 days repented for his waywardness. He learned he had better follow God’s will. But when the Ninevites repented he was angry about it and moped. His character was not changed by his lesson, which is very sad indeed. I would hope that you would not be like him, but would trust God through your challenge and show the people around you that the Lord does not fail those who love Him.
Dear Lord,
I know that you are with me during my times of challenges in my life. Help me not to doubt you, but to trust that you will make everything beautiful in my life and that what I perceive as difficulties will only make my faith stronger.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen