By Tanya Jolliffe
I was recently asked to give a testimonial at our monthly women’s worship night at my church. I didn’t hesitate to accept the invitation and immediately began praying to discern what God would want me to share. I started outlining ideas as I looked back over my life journey and all the ways I could see God leading and directing my life. I was amazed at how many opportunities I had to say no and go my way. It made me think, if things were this rocky while I was saying yes, how much harder would they have been if I had said no?
Perhaps you have seen the meme that shows two paths to a finish line, with the straight one marked as our plan and the up and down one with pitfalls, bridges, and rain clouds as God’s plan. James 1:2-4 outlines how we are to handle the trials of life, ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’ This verse has been a source of comfort and reassurance for me, reminding me to trust in God’s plan even when it seems complicated and I don’t understand.
Looking back over my life as I prepared my testimony allowed me to see quite clearly how the hard times, trials, and hurts were necessary to prepare me for the next thing God had in store. Psalm 139:16 says, ‘All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.’ I believe that with my whole heart. He has a specific plan and purpose for my life that is different than he has for someone else. He has certain things he needs me to know and understand to fulfill that plan successfully. Part of my sanctification journey is to gain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to produce more fruit that helps others see Christ and develop a relationship with him. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV.) I cannot produce this fruit by my strength, but as I look back, I see God is making it in me through my journey.
None of us want to face hard times, and no one enjoys facing trials, pushing through pain, or leaving relationships behind, but sometimes, that is what God asks of us as part of his process of molding and making us. “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8 NIV.) As I rewrote my testimony for the fourth time, I could see how he had molded me to make me more and more in his image.
How do we press on when the road ahead seems daunting? Isaiah 43:18-19 teaches us to “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Looking back, I can see that the hard things were necessary, but I know I couldn’t see that at the time. All I could do was press on or quit, and quitting for me has never been an option because I never want to give the enemy the idea that he can win. My commitment to perseverance has been a key part of my journey, even in the face of adversity.
The person I am today is not the person I was forty years ago when I left my parent’s home and set out on my own. There have been trials, heartaches, lessons learned the hard way, and things that have happened to me that were out of my control. But through it all, I had Jesus, and that relationship made all the difference. Music has always spoken to me more than reading words on a page, and I remember a song by Point of Grace entitled “You Will Never Walk Alone” that I had on repeat during hard times years ago. The words sustained me then and encourage me today because I know the road ahead will still have its ups and downs as I continue to live and serve Jesus. Luckily, I will never walk them alone.
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