Text: 2 Corinthians 1:8
When we face hardships in life, how we handle them depends a lot on the nature of the hardships (financial problems, personality conflicts, health issues, difficult temptations, etc.). However, there are some principles that will apply to all types of hardships. These are important to remember, especially when we are not yet sure what to do.
Prayer (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Rather than remaining anxious, we are to pray – to gain the protection of the peace of God
- Cast all of our anxiety on Him (1 Peter 5:7) – the problem will not always go away, but we are trusting in God
- In Christ we have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Perspective (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
- We need to remember that this world is temporary and cannot compare with eternal life
- Knowing that this world is temporary should cause us to live a certain way (2 Peter 3:11-14)
- Our lives here are just a vapor (James 4:13-15) – we must live with this understanding always
Priorities (Matthew 6:33)
- The most important things are the things of God – His kingdom and His righteousness
- No matter how “important” the things of this life might seem, gaining Christ is better (Philippians 3:7-8)
- No matter what we gain in this life, it cannot be used to redeem our soul (Matthew 16:26)
Peers (Hebrews 10:23-25)
- Not about those of the same age, but something else in common – faith in Christ and hope of heaven
- Christians can fall away – the encouragement of our brethren can help prevent this (Hebrews 3:12-13)
- Not just to receive help, also to give it – even if we are struggling, we should try to reciprocate (Hebrews 3:13; 10:24-25)
Perseverance (Romans 5:3-4)
- It is not easy, but we must persevere through tribulation – this develops character and strengthens our hope
- Many things may hinder us – we must simply run with endurance and remember Christ (Hebrews 12:1-3)
- Do not forget what is important and give up your reward (Hebrews 10:32-39)
Conclusion
- We have been abundantly blessed by God in this life – many things to be thankful for
- Even still, life is sometimes hard – we cannot allow these hardships to derail our faith
- The reward will be worth it – but we must remain faithful through all of the hardships of this life
