Guest Post

Here I have a guest post from Rachel Joy over at Noteworthy! Thank you Rachel!

– The Daily Struggle –

“The struggle is so real!” I said to my brother as we painstakingly walked away from the last M&M.

As I continued living my day, I began to think about those words, and the phrase normally associated with getting out of bed. “The Daily Struggle.”

As I thought, I realized that that’s not the only struggle we have to deal with daily.

You see, the daily struggle is to surrender. To surrender my will to God—even when I don’t want to. Even when it involves pain and heartache. To pick up my cross and follow Jesus even when the waters rise.

The daily struggle is to worship through the storm. It’s to look for Jesus, and not just a passing glance, but daily seeking him until we find him.

The daily struggle is to love like Jesus when people drive us crazy. It’s to love them even when they don’t deserve it in anyway. It’s to love people like Jesus when we are treated unjustly, when we are hurt and when it is painful.

The daily struggle is to stand strong. It’s so easy to lie down and let the overwhelming might of the enemy surround and accost us. It’s easy to lay in the corner and cry. (Trust me, I do it all the time) But it’s so hard to stand up and make a difference. To break the chains that daily try to bind us, is constantly a battle.

It’s easy to take. We all find it easy to receive. But to give it all? That’s not easy. To give your everything to the one who gave it all to you? To trust that he knows what’s best and to receive his blessings? That’s the daily struggle.

The daily struggle is to sing hallelujah. Saying “God be praised” in the pain, dizzy tears and mourning. That is hard. To praise him unconditionally with all of our being, that is the daily struggle.

Everyday we have so many struggles. Things that make it hard to want to get out of bed and to live life, but the crazy thing is that we don’t have to do this by ourselves.

Jesus is right there to walk with us all the way. He is there to help us when we slip and fall into the depravity that this world so often thrusts upon is.

Through him—and only through him, can we win this battle.

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” ~Deuteronomy 31:8

~ Rachel Joy