Jillian Ahonen

I’ve heard many say things like, “Oh, I just knew God was in this because everything flowed so easily and came together effortlessly.” ⁣

I’ve heard statements like that so often that when things don’t go smoothly and get hard, it has caused me to wrestle and wonder if I’m out of sync with God’s timing or maybe I heard wrong. I mean, if God said it, where’s my “poof, it’s finished—THANK YOU JESUS!” outcome? ⁣

Now, I’m not talking about timing. I’ve had many seasons of waiting, and I know the difference. I’m talking about when you really felt like God was in something, said yes, said go… and then it got haaaaaaaaard. ⁣

So hard that it caused you to stop and question everything you thought was a green light and a “yes” from God.

So hard that you want to retreat and run back to what’s familiar. So hard that you start thinking, there is no way this was God’s plan. ⁣

I’m talking about when you see nothing but dead ends and constant battles that leave you so weary and wiped out that you think, I must’ve really missed God on this one. ⁣

I’ve been there so many times that I sometimes wonder if God has purposely allowed me to walk through things the “hard way” so I can be a voice that reminds us all: just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not God. ⁣

The sign that something is from God can’t be that it was easy. ⁣

To be honest, there’s really not much growth in easy. It doesn’t require much faith or trust. And how in the world are our spiritual muscles and character going to grow if life is always handed to us on a Holy Spirit silver platter? ⁣

The truth is, we can’t fully develop if we have nothing that helps shape us. ⁣

Muscles can’t grow without the sweat and effort of heavy lifting. ⁣

Rocks don’t become smooth until they’ve been tossed around in the waves. ⁣

A sculpture can’t be defined until it’s been chiseled. ⁣

Silver can’t be refined until it’s been held in the flame. ⁣

God is in your hard. He uses the hard to build us—to smooth out what is broken and rough, to refine and define, to shape and prepare us for all that He has in store. ⁣

So don’t give up. The struggle may be real, but so is the God who walks with you through it. ⁣

Give God your bold YES and FAITH FORWARD!

🤍, J

God’s approval is all you need.

Faith forward!