Love is tough

As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ for over 10 years now, I feel like I should be able to withstand a lot more...Like I should be able to "get through" things better when tough stuff happens. But at the end of the day, I'm still human and still susceptable to failure, hurt, pain and yes even sin.

Don't get me wrong, I believe we ge stronger the deeper we get in relationship with God, however "to whom much is given, much is required". The enemy of our lives is not our husbands unlovingness, our kids defiance, or even a strangers careless heart, but its Satan himself. He knows the closer we get to God the closer we get to our destiny that God has for us and that means he loses. We can't be so naive to think Satan will just lay down and take it. Uh uh, he will use whatever means necessary to try and toss us off track.

The Word of God tells us "above all guard your heart, for everything in life fows from it". "Keep watch that no one deceives you", and "resist the devil and he must flee". He constaly reminds us that we hae to be on guard and ready for battle at all times. Not with physical weapons but with spiritual our "shield of faith" and the "sword of the spirit(the Bible)".

When we go through these battles, God is allowing it. He is sovereign so that means he has ultimate control over everything...even Satan. That's right our loving God "allows" evey great thing and even the very bad to occur in our lives. Does that mean that he loves us any less? Does that mean He contradicts himself? Of course not. It means that nothing happens for no reason. Everthing is to work out for our good because we are called to His purpose. Every bad experience God allowed because there is a biggr plan for us than what we can wrap our heads around. If you had a miscarriege, God may have allowed you to experience that in order to connect with someone who has had one but does not kow Christ. If you were molested as a child, God may want you to be an advocate for the silenced children of this country who have been victimised and feel there is no hope. Who knows?! The possibilities are endless to what God is doing. And many of us will probably not receive and answer to that "why did this happen to me" question on this side of heaven. However we must remember that no matter what, God promises to be with us, even in the bad as well as the good. Everything God does is on purpose and for a purpose much higher than we may ever realize.