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You Can Do Hard Things

Our prayers are often filled with requests for comfort, peace, and calmness – all often during a very hectic and stressful season of life. There’s value in rest. Unfortunately, many of us are guilty of trading our “old fashioned” rituals for a new way of life that is full of “busyness” and self-driven attempts of greater success. Then, top that off with the natural challenges of the day to day and what do you get? A life that is difficult to navigate.

But simply pausing to rest doesn’t seem like a viable option these days. Upholding our duties at work, getting the kids to soccer practice, taking the dog to the groomer, chores to get done, groceries to buy, dinner to cook, doctors to be seen, and money to be made. Just typing it makes me tired.

There’s value in all of these things. All of these things need to be done. And they are all important.

I often say in my writings and to those around me that I don’t use the words “life can be hard”, but rather “life is hard.” Because it is, at least for the vast majority of people. And if there’s someone out there who disagrees, please send them my way so I can learn the secret of it being not. The good news is this…we can do hard things.

You may have picked up on my tagline at the end of each writing if you have been reading my posts the last year or so. “You can do hard things” is a motto used in my family regularly, long before the days of COVID. It was started by my wife to remind our kids that they are capable of accomplishing difficult tasks, particularly when they think they can’t.

It’s hard!” our little ones often exclaim. “That’s ok!” we respond. “Because you can do hard things!

Learning a new concept, accomplishing a new task, or tackling a new skill – all difficult things and often things that will make anyone want to throw in the towel, at times. But a little bit of encouragement and reminders that they have what it takes to succeed, usually goes a long way with our little ones.

But the phrase has had a deep impact on me as well. Because again…life is hard. Demands and responsibilities…doubts and regrets…death and rejection. Life is often full of disappointments, struggles, and hardships. But take heart…

Jesus says in John 16:33, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

“You can do hard things,” is so true. And I believe that with every ounce of my being. But it is also my belief that we are not able to accomplish anything on our own strength. There have been times in my life that I have looked back and realized who allowed me to accomplish something difficult. Was I capable of doing it? Sure. Was it my own strength that allowed me to do it? Not at all.

This may shock some, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that God won’t give us things we can’t handle. What it DOES say is that we have strength, through Jesus, to do ALL things (Philippians 4:13).

So as you wrestle with the busyness of life, as you go through your next struggle, as you work to achieve the next thing, or as you strive to learn something new…remember “greater is He who is living in me, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). How thankful I am for the strength that He gives us.

And because of that, I truly believe you have what it takes to be able to do hard things.

Until next time,

 

Steven Campbell
Executive Director