Enduring Suffering

I sit here back at school broke, tired, and exhausted. I'm not going to lie, OCS killed me and wore me out beyond compare, but the Lord used that exhaustion, that suffering, and that brokenness to reach a dark world. The military is able to use a uniform to disguise the brokenness within the hearts and minds of those wearing them. I can attest first hand to looking very confident in a uniform but being very broken on the inside.

Naturally, I question my ability to push past this brokenness and mental exhaustion; as well as why the Lord allows me to endure this suffering. In my most exhausting moments the Lord has revealed Himself to me. He has shown me that when my flesh has failed it is only Him and His perfect strength that keeps me going. So why do we endure suffering? Why does the Lord allow us to face these very demanding trials in life?

In 1 Peter 5:9-10 we are reminded that we are not alone in this suffering because our brothers throughout the world are enduring it as well, and that through this suffering the Lord will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.

A few more encouraging verses are in: Romans 5:3-4 [We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts.] Psalm 73:26 [My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever] and finally: 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that the Lord equips us with Power, Love, and a Sound Mind. The Lord does not set us up for failure. He believes in us more than we believe in ourselves at times. This sound mind is what pushed me through OCS, even when I felt the odds were against me. The Lord gave me the mental strength to persevere.

I encourage you to embrace this suffering, considering it pure joy [James 1:2] and recognize that the Lord is doing great things through you. The worst thing you can do is, to go internal and lose sight of the eternal perspective; that we serve a Lord who loves us very much and He has a Kingdom waiting for us. So while this pain and suffering may be but a season in our lifetime, this too shall pass and ultimately our Lord will be glorified through us. What encourages me most is maintaining childlike faith. In that I mean not allowing the circumstances of the world affect what the Lord has already told me to do or endure.

A video a good friend sent me during a recent time of struggle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyUPz6_TciY&nomobile=1