Struggles in Life

Fighting Through Challenges with Faith and Trust in the Lord

How many times have you said something like this:  "If only there weren't (fill in the blank)!  Then my life would be so much easier."  Or what about, "If I had more (time, money, opportunities, etc.), then I would be truly happy in life."  The trouble is, even if there weren't that one thing that prevents us from having an easy life and even if we had the things we currently lack to be happy, we wouldn't actually BE happy and wouldn't have an easier life.  We would still have struggles.

As you know by now, I often write about situations and things I'm going through.  My struggles right now are with pride and with finances.  First, let me talk about pride.  Pride is that thing inside me that keeps me from letting someone be right even when they really are wrong.  Pride makes me want to correct other people's grammar, spelling, pronunciation of words, and give blatant knowledge of facts that, honestly, no one except me cares to hear about.  Have you heard this about pride before:

• Pride goes before destruction; a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.
• When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
• By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

I think we have this innate nature in us that wants to be right, has to be right.  Because we live in a fallen world, our thoughts easily begin to turn to focus on “me.”  I know that I can overcome pride, and that is what has to be done in my life to walk with the Lord.  But I can’t do it on my own.  I must give myself wholly, completely over to God to be reshaped, remolded by Him.

Luke 10:19 says, “I have given you authority to overcome ALL the power of the enemy!”  I have the authority of God to not be prideful!  John says something similar, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Finally, in Romans 12:21 we read, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Now, onto finances.  This is an area that I really do not like to talk about.  Again, because of pride, but also because as an adult, I’m supposed to have all this financial wisdom and knowledge down pat…and I don’t yet! 

My husband and I tithe, we understand the law of sowing and reaping, and we have had some amazing teaching under our pastors about this.  Yet we struggle financially. 

In her book “Pocket Your Dollars: 5 Attitude Changes that will help you pay down debt, avoid financial stress, and keep more of what you make,” Carrie Rocha says that you can change your attitude and improve your finances.  

How many times have I said these five things myself:

1. If only I had more money
2. I deserve a treat
3. It won’t happen to me
4. I’ll fake it ‘til I make it
5. I can’t afford it

Derek Prince says in his book, “Does Your Tongue Need Healing” that our words have shaped our lives today.  What I have said in the past is playing out today.  But I can change that!  And so can you.

Scripture says in Deuteronomy 28 that we are blessed!  We are “blessed when we come in and when we go out.”  “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

I think Carrie is right about me—I need to change my attitude.  And Derek was right, too—My tongue does need healing if I’m ever going to overcome Satan’s lies and start living a more humble, prosperous life.

Blessings!!